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Latest information Introduction
In implementation of Council Directive 96/98/EC of 20 December 1996 on marine equipment (Marine Equipment Directive - MED), the BSH has been assigned the task of conducting market surveillance of marine equipment, in compliance with Articles 12 and 13 MED.The Marine Equipment Directive applies to all merchant vessels flying the flag of a European Member State that are operated in international trade. It includes a list
of the items of marine equipment requiring type approval and specifies uniform regulations
for implementation of the relevant international standards. Listed items of marine equipment are only allowed to be used on board if they have been type-tested and approved in a conformity assessment procedure by a Notified Body that has been recognised by the EU Commission. An approval procedure applying uniform rules in the European Union ensures that differences in the implementation of standards are avoided and the same safety
level is achieved in all Member States. Additional benefits are a better business environment for manufacturers, an improved competitive situation of the shipping industry, and the elimination of technical trade restrictions. The authority in charge of market surveillance carries out spot checks to ensure that items of marine equipment that have been type-tested and approved by Notified Bodies meet the formal and technical requirements of Directive 96/98/EC. The purpose of the surveillance measures is to improve
safety at sea and prevent pollution of the marine environment. Tasks
- Check items of marine equipment for compliance with the requirements for approval specified in Directive 96/98/EC on marine equipment (MED)
- Provide information to the European Commission and the other Member States
- Implement recommendations by the European Commission on a national level
Purpose
Ensure that the safety of marine equipment used in the EU Member States meets applicable requirements in order to
- void hazards to the health and/or safety of ships' crews, passengers and other persons
- protect the marine environment.
Responsibilities
The BSH is responsible for all items of marine equipment listed in Annex A.1 to Directive 96/98/EC (MED) in the areas of
- Life-saving appliances
- Marine-pollution prevention
- Fire protection
- Navigation equipment
- Radio-communication equipment
which are marketed in Germany or used on German seagoing vessels.
Conformity assessment procedure
During the conformity assessment procedure the manufacturer or his authorized representative established within the Community issues a written declaration of conformity. The group of Notified Bodies (MarED group) has published an example of a declaration of conformity an their homepage (www.mared.org).
Example of declaration of conformity (PDF-Document, 78 kB)
Legal basis
The above legal texts are available online at www.gesetze-im-internet.de.
10/2011: Information regarding a product warning for liferaft lights Daniamant RESCUE-DAN R.INT1
Danish manufacturer Daniamant has published a notice about possible deficiencies of liferaft lights of the type Daniamant RESCUE-DAN R.INT1 Internal liferaft light, manufactured between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2007.
For more information please visit the homepage of Daniamant.
For your safety, BSH recommends to check whether these lights are on board and proceed according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
10/2011: Information regarding the recall of 2 kg and 5 kg carbon dioxide aluminium fire extinguishers manufactured between 2006 and April 2011 from manufacturer FLN Feuerlöschgeräte Neuruppin Vertriebs-GmbH
According to information available to BSH, manufacturer FLN Feuerlöschgeräte Neuruppin Vertriebs-GmbH, Martin - Ebell - Str 4, 16816 Neuruppin initiated a recall of 2 kg and 5 kg carbon dioxide aluminium fire extinguishers with MED - certification, produced between 2006 and April 2011.
Due to stress corrosion cracking it may occur that the valves of the fire extinguishers break up. Caused by the pressure, the valve head itself can unexpectedly detach from the contai-ner. The manufacturer recommends not to use the affected fire extinguishers, not to main-tain them and/or move the equipment in any way. Please avoid the space directly above the top of the fire extinguisher.
Among others, the following brands are affected:
- TOTAL, Classic K2A, Classic K5
- COSMOS – COSMOS K5
- Hansa
- Hoenig
- IBS
- Neuruppin
- Optimal
- NWF
- Stoll-Luxemburg
- Waßmann.
For more information please refer to the leaflet (PDF-document, 436 kB) of the manufacturer, also published under www.fln-neuruppin.de . To ensure shipboard safety, BSH strongly recommends to check whether these extinguishers are on board and replace them according to the manufacturer's instructions.
07/2011: Information concerning a falsified type approval certificate (compressed air breathing apparatus)
According to information available to BSH, the EC type approval certificate issued by GL-Luxembourg, file number 54 580 - 07 Lux, for the compressed air breathing apparatus "SDP 1100" is a falsified document.The falsified document differs from the original certificate in the font used and the company to which it was issued: Shanghai Weien Sequrity Equipment Co. Ltd. (China) for the product "SDP 1100". This product has no MED approval.
The original modul B certificate was issued by GL-Luxembourg for the products "RHZK 5/30" and "RHZK 6/30" made by Dongtai City Jianghai Lifesaving & Fire-Fighting Equipment Co. Ltd. Based on information available to BSH it is possible that compressed air breathing apparatuses made by Shanghai Weien Sequrity Equipment Co. Ltd. could be in use on board ships. To ensure shipboard safety, BSH recommends to check whether equipment of type "SDP 1100" is on board and to replace it if necessary. If that is the case, please inform BSH Market surveillance accordingly.
A copy of the falsified certificate can be found here: falsified certificate (PDF document, 54 kB)
04/2011: Safety alert concerning lifejacket lights
Danish manufacturer Daniamant calls back 2 lots of lifejacket light "Rescue DAN M1".
Detailed information can be found on the manufacturers website: Call back of "Rescue DAN M1"
06/2010: Safety alert concerning hydrostatic release units
According to information from Swedish Transport Agency hydrostatic release units type "Fenner HRU" from Turkish manufacturer Fenerci Denizcilik Egetim Dis Ticaret Ltd Sti certified according to maritime equipment directive (MED) showed defects which could pose a safety risk.
Please check as soon as possible if the above mentioned hydrostatic release units were placed on board and replace them with a certified type from another manufacturer.
Please inform BSH immediately if hydrostatic release units type "Fenner HRU" are on board.
More information can be found on the Swedish Transport Agency web page: Safety alert "Fenner HRU"
05/2010: Safety alert concerning lifebuoys
BSH repeats the safety alert concerning lifebuoys published in December 2009, because in the meantime during an inspection on board of a German vessel a lifebuoy was found with some clearly noticeable clattering sound after lifting. It turned out, that nearly one half of the outer shell was not - respectively inadequate - filled with foam.
The injection hole for the foam was closed with a reflective stripe; the penetration of liquid has not been observed.
Since in this case the penetration of liquid and thus an adverse effect on the functionality can not be excluded, BSH recommends for the safety of people on board to check the lifebuoys in the above described way. Please do also a visual inspection for possible damages and penetration of liquid.
In case of any discrepancy please inform market surveillance at BSH as soon as possible.
12/2009: Safety alert concerning lifebuoys
Swedish Transport Agency informed with reference to the MED approved lifebuoys, type „Altura > 2,5kg“, manufactured in January 2004 by the Italian manufacturer Veleria San Giorgio about deficiencies (ingress of water due to external damage), that could pose a security risk.
Please check as soon as possible if the above mentioned lifebuoys were placed on board and carry out the procedures recommended by the manufacture
Veleria information from 12 Nov 2009 (PDF-Document, 93 kB)
Furthermore, according to the information of the EU Commission, similar problems concerning lifebuoys from different manufacturers have been reported. Therefore, BSH recommends in general to check the lifebuoys on board for the indication of damage and, where applicable, for the penetration of liquids.
Please inform market surveillance at BSH as soon as possible if
- lifebuoys type "Altura> 2.5 kilograms are placed on board or
- similar problems with other models occured.
Please visit the website of your lifebuoy manufacturer to get possible information regarding your lifebuoy model.
10/2009: High velocity pressure/vacuum relief valves with flame screen (model HPV) manufactured by Se-Won Ind. Co. (Republic of Korea)
On 19 August 2009 the European Commission published an opinion (PDF document, 700 KB) (Offical Journal of the European Union, 2009/C 213/1) on the follow-up action regarding to its opinion of 7 January 2008 (PDF document, 74 KB) (Offical Journal of the European Union, 2008/C 3/1) concerning high velocity pressure/vacuum relief valves with flame screen of model HPV, manufactured by Se-Won Ind. Co. in the Republic of Korea.
Thereafter the manufacturer has submitted evidence that a full new certification procedure has been conducted, as a result of which a new MED module-B type-approval certificate has been issued for Sewon products HPV 65A, HPV-3, HPV-4, HPV-5, HPV-6, HPV-8 and HPV-10.
The Commission declares as a result, that the manufacturer has taken appropriate follow-up action to the opinion delivered by the Commission on 7 January 2008 and has taken appropriate measures to ensure safety.
Hence the above mentioned valves, certified 14 May 2008, comply with the requirements of the MED and can be placed on the Market and on board.
01/2009: Faked copies of hydrostatic release units, type Hammar H20, manufactured by C.M. Hammar
The Swedish Maritime Safety Inspectorate informed that faked copies of hydrostatic release units, type Hammar H20, manufactured by C.M. Hammar were found on board.
The copies look almost identical with the original product, with Hammar’s logo and address on the labels.
Tests led to the conclusion, that the copies do not comply with requirements of SOLAS and do not work.
Further information, particularly with regard to differentiation of original and fake, is available here:
Press Release - Important information on Hammar H20 (PDF documment, 612 KB)
Information from Swedish Maritime Safety Inspectorate (PDF document, 94 KB)
Original or fake (PDF document, 77 KB)
Website of manufacturer
Please check if you have an affected hydrostatic release unit, type Hammar H20 and exchange them where necessary.
Please inform market surveillance at BSH in case you find faked hydrostatic release units as soon as possible.
06/2008: Recall of SeaGo lifejackets
Because of a possible manufacturing defect, the English manufacturer SeaGo Yachting recalled its lifejacket types 150 N and 175 N
including children's lifejackets), which are also available on the German market. These lifejackets have not been type-approved under Directive 96/98/EC on marine equipment (MED), i.e. they do not bear the wheelmark.
The lifejackets were manufactured in VI/05, I/06, II/06, IV/06, and 1/07.
If you have purchased any of the above lifejackets, you should not use them under any circumstances. Please contact the seller or manufacturer directly. Additional information is available at http://seagoyachting.co.uk/.
01/2008: Comment by the Commission, 7 January 2008
on preliminary measures taken by the Government of Denmark regarding high-velocity pressure/vacuum relief valves with flame screen
(model HPV) made by Sewon Ind. Co. (Republic of Korea).
Comment (PDF document, 74 KB)
11/2007: BSH information on chemical protection suits according to Annex 1, MED
According to the latest amendment to Directive 96/98/EC on marine equipment (MED), chemical protection suits as listed in Annex A 1/3.50 must be type approved for use on board ships where they constitute mandatory equipment.
There has been information that some ships may have been equipped with chemical protection suits that have not been type-approved under MED or are labelled incorrectly. For safety reasons, the BSH recommends to check whether chemical protection suits on board vessels have been type-approved according to MED and bear the wheelmark.
In particular, please compare the data in the declaration of conformity with the data on the type label and the classification of chemicals in the instructions for use.
In case you have any doubt concerning the type approval of chemical protection suits, please contact the BSH's market surveillance staff.
07/2007: Comment by the Commission, 20 June 2007
on the high-velocity pressure/vacuum relief valve types NEW-ISO-HV and U-ISO made by TANKTECH Co., Republic of Korea.
Comment (PDF document, 82 KB) | 
