Technical Support Document
9th Amendment to
EU Marine Equipment Directive
(MED)
Effective from 4 December, 2014
Significant change in regulatory requirements for flame arresters and P/V valves
placed on-board EU flagged ships.
IMO/MSC/ Circ. 677 amendment by Circ. 1009 & 1324
EN ISO 16852:2010 supersedes EN 12874:2001
Edition 1.00
Date: December 2014
Technical Support Document
Background
EN ISO 16852:2010 has been adopted by the EU Council Directive 96/98/EC on marine equipment. Devices to prevent the
passage of flame into the cargo tank in tankers placed on board a community ship on or after 4 December 2014 shall meet
applicable requirements referred to - EN ISO 16852:2010, ISO 15364:2007 and IMO MSC/Circ.677.
EN ISO 16852:2010 supersedes EN 12874:2001
The EN ISO 16852:2010 standard specifies the requirements for flame arresters and PV valves, which prevent flame transmission, when explosive gas/air or vapour/air-mixtures are present.
It establishes uniform principles for the classification, basic construction and information for use including marking of flame
arresters.
Furthermore, it specifies test methods to verify the safety requirements and determine safe limits of use.
EN ISO 16852:2010 is adopted in order to eliminate risk and improve safety
In the past, flashback testing of devices to prevent passage of flames has been carried out according to EN 12874:2001 at
manufacturer specified flow rate and thereby not validated the risk of flashback identified at low flow range.
The new adapted standard EN ISO 16852:2010 requires, that the mandatory flashback testing at the low flow range shall be
performed on pipe lengths equal to or longer than the pipe length, on which the device/valves are to be installed.
Only devices like PV valves, that are certified to have been tested according to EN ISO 16852:2010 may from 4 December 2014
be marketed and installed on vessels operating under MED regulations (which includes all EU flagged vessels). This includes
vessels under construction now, and no “grandfathering” are expected of ships under construction with devices like PV valves
tested under earlier regimes.
This means that, any new valve manufactured after 4 December 2014 must be approved under the new standard EN ISO
16852:2010 before installed on board.
How will the national maritime authorities and the global community of notified bodies enforce these
new regulations from 4 December 2014?
At the moment there are no public information available as to how new regulations are to be implemented. However, it is the
understanding, that the notified bodies issuing EC type certificates only accept devices, placed on the market after
4 December 2014, that fulfill the requirements of 9th Amendment and flag state Maritime authorities will confirm these approaches.
Recommendations from MARED-group are expected in the first quarter of 2015.
What does this change in requirements means to ship owners?
If you are contracting
or constructing a
vessel flagged outside
EU for delivery after 4
December 2014
No action needed.
If you prepare for the future option to sell to EU flagged ship register, consider your
options for getting MED certified equipment on board.
If you are contracting
or constructing an
EU flagged vessel
for delivery after
4 December 2014
Get confirmation from the flag authorities as to how the new regulations should be interpreted.
Get confirmation that the delivered equipment is in accordance with 9th Amendment to
EU MARED directive.
Ensure that the yard have issued order confirmation to the equipment supplier requiring
new standards (free of charge).
VECS documentation has to be updated, if change of equipment is required.
Technical Support Document
How to ensure that equipment is in accordance with the regulations in force from 4 December 2014?
History shows that it is expensive not to take action in proper time. Accidents have occurred with equipment approved under
earlier regimes installed on-board ships.
Consequently, it is important that design companies, yards and ship-owners ensure, that equipment and documentation is
updated in relation to EU regulatory requirements for ships delivered with safety equipment manufactured after 4 December
2014.
To ensure your equipment is in accordance with EU regulatory requirements, please follow the guidelines shown below.
Obtain EC-Type Examination Certificate
issued by notified body covering:
Pressure/vacuum high velocity valves
Flame arrestors
Detonation arrestors
Gas freeing covers
Check fulfillment of standards:
If the standard EN ISO 16852:2010 is not
specified, the certificates are not valid for
equipment manufactured after 4 December 2014.
EN ISO 16852:2010
Check that the maximum pipe length is
documented in the EC certificate and
that the specific equipment support the
pipe design of your ship
The combination of standard fulfillment of EN ISO 16852:2010
and correct statement of maximum pipe length indicates correct test has been performed.
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EU commission’s directive 2013/52/EU of October 2013
4
Technical Support Document
Technical Support Document
For all ships under construction with Pres-Vac equipment installed
All Pres-Vac equipment delivered to EU flagged vessels after 4 December 2014 is in accordance with 9th Amendment to
Marine Equipment Directive (MED).
Need any help?
If you as a ship owner is in doubt about this new regulation, even if you do not have any Pres-Vac valves installed, please do not
hesitate to contact us directly. We will assist you through the certification process.
Pres-Vac Engineering ApS
Svanevang 3-5
DK-3450 Allerød
Denmark
Tel.
+45 48 17 40 55
Fax
+45 48 17 17 88
Email [email protected]
Website www.pres-vac.com