MED Directive
The Marine Equipment Directive (MED) (96/98/EC as amended) covers certain equipment carried and used on ships registered under the flags of European Union member states. It is aimed at ensuring that equipment which has to meet the requirements of international conventions (e.g., SOLAS, MARPOL, etc.) agreed at IMO (the International Maritime Organisation), additionally meets a common standard of safety and performance.
Conformity with the MED
Conformity is initially demonstrated when one or more prototypes of a design have been independently witnessed as having been satisfactorily tested thus confirming that the performance parameters applicable to equipment of that type have been achieved. An EC Certificate of Type Examination will be issued by a Notified Body such as Lloyds Register Verification. This is a Module B Certificate and forms one part of the Conformity Route.
In the majority of cases a Module B Certificate is necessary and this must be used in combination with one of the other Production Modules – D, E, or F.
Module D (Production Quality Assurance) requires an operational QMS which has detailed procedures documented and when correctly used and maintained will ensure that all production results in equipment items which meet the ‘benchmark’ standard of the prototype to which a Module B certificate was awarded. In progress checks and testing are expected to be used.
Declaration of Conformity
The Marine Equipment Directive (MED) – condition of certification requires a European Community eclaration of Conformity, issued by the product supplier in accordance with the Marine Equipment Directive, for all products installed on MED classed ships. The Declaration of Conformity details the conformity route used to manufacture the product, including the ‘Production Quality Assurance’ system; the results of the initial Type Tests and the relevant Certificate of Conformity number. It declares that the product supplied has been manufactured in accordance with the relevant Lloyd’s Register certificate.