Marine equipment (MED)

Changed
07/10/2022

The equipment of EU seagoing ships must comply with uniform European standards. An EU seagoing ship is a ship flying the flag of a Member State of the European Economic Area (EEA). European standards deal with the safety of on-board equipment and ensure its free movement within the EEA. This is a form of market surveillance.

Market surveillance consists mainly in checking the following documents:

• EU declaration of conformity (also known as declaration of CE conformity)
  The manufacturer must draw up an EU declaration of conformity for the equipment. The declaration confirms that the equipment meets European standards. The declaration must remain on board the ship until the equipment of the seagoing ship is removed.
• Wheel mark
  The wheel mark is a kind of quality label. The mark must be affixed to the equipment the compliance of which has been demonstrated.
• Technical documentation

Competent authority

Conformity assessment

The economic operator of the equipment (manufacturer, authorised representative, importer, distributor ...) must ensure that a notified body carries out the conformity assessment. A notified body is an inspection body designated by an administration to check that the equipment complies with European requirements. There are around 40 notified bodies within Europe from which you are free to choose, for example :

• Apragaz in Belgium
• Centexbel in Belgium
• Bureau Veritas in France
• Germanischer Lloyd in Germany
• Rina in Italy

If the equipment is compliant, the economic operator can draw up the EU declaration of conformity.

Check of equipment and monitoring of notified bodies

Inspectors from the Directorate-General Shipping of the FPS Mobility and Transport are responsible for market surveillance and the monitoring of notified bodies. They conduct inspections for seagoing ships flying the Belgian flag and for economic operators in Belgium. Inspections are conducted both on board ships and at economic operators' premises.

Economic operators must cooperate. If the equipment does not meet the requirements, inspectors may take action.

Reflagging a non-EU seagoing ship to the Belgian flag

When a non-EU seagoing ship is reflagged to the Belgian flag, inspectors from the Directorate-General Shipping of the FPS Mobility and Transport must inspect the equipment.

Equipment that is not compliant and/or bears no wheel mark must be removed unless inspectors consider the equipment equivalent. To do so, they issue a certificate authorising you to retain the equipment on board. You should keep that certificate with the equipment. Any restrictions or provisions relating to the use of that equipment are possible.

CONTACT

FPS Mobility and Transport
Directorate-General Shipping
Department Market Surveillance

Email: marine.equipment@mobilit.fgov.be