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Materials and Equipment certification
Materials & Equipment Certification
What is materials and equipment certification?
Marine materials and equipment certification is the review and testing process that ensures ships’ component parts conform to the technical standards established by regulatory bodies. Certification is required for many vessel parts, including propulsion engines, fire safety equipment, lifting appliances, hull structures, welding consumables, and electrical, automation and navigation systems.
Bureau Veritas provides certification services for shipyards, suppliers, and manufacturers, helping keep ship materials and equipment reliable for shipowners. Our certification experts are pioneers in safety and performance, technical experts and regulatory specialists who work by your side to help you achieve compliance.
Do I need materials or equipment certification?
Marine materials and equipment are highly regulated. Most products are subject to classification, and must be certified under Class Rules, or to International Maritime Organization (IMO) and European Union (EU) regulations. Many flag administrations also enforce additional statutory regulations regarding the safety, comfort and environmental performance of materials and equipment.
To help shipowners, shipyards, suppliers, and manufacturers meet these standards, Bureau Veritas provides key technical and regulatory expertise. As pioneers in safety and performance, we help ensure that all materials and equipment conform to applicable standards at all stages of design and operation. We offer a full-service approach to certification, working by our clients’ side at locations worldwide.
Director of Equipment & Materials Certification
Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore
Ship design is never static, and with environmental challenges, changing equipment and technology come new regulatory requirements. To remain compliant, marine stakeholders must work with trusted certification partners who combine product innovation with regulatory knowhow. Bureau Veritas more than fits the bill, having provided materials and equipment certification throughout a hundred years of technical evolution.
Bureau Veritas’ materials and equipment certification services
As regulations evolve, Bureau Veritas is by our clients’ side, helping certify the next generation of ship design, equipment and materials.
- We use in-depth knowledge of classification rules to ensure compliance with materials and equipment standards
- We deliver a wide range of certificates, including type approval, company recognition and product certificates compliant to class Rules and statutory regulations, including the EU Marine Equipment Directive
- We have an extensive network of marine experts ready to deliver certification services worldwide
- We issue 80,000 product certificates annually, and have nearly 8,000 active type approval certificates and 4,700 active company recognition certificates
Some of our materials & equipment certification services
- Conformity assessment services for equipment that must comply with classification rules and/or statutory regulations.
- Type approval to review the technical documentation that defines your product type, recommend the appropriate test program, and obtain a Type Approval Certificate.
- Product design assessment to verify that your materials and equipment comply with design requirements determined by technical documentation.
- Individual product manufacturing with surveys relating to individual product manufacturing, including witnessing product testing.
- Company’s quality management system assessments to confirm ability to produce products as per type tested
- Third-party certification services for marine materials and equipment that must meet recognized industry standards.
Complementary services for your materials and equipment
Bureau Veritas provides multiple additional services to support marine manufacturers and suppliers, including design assessment, basic approval, Approval in Principle (AiP), and review attestation. Our experts provide inspection certificates, third party certificates, and attestations for tests done without design review. We also perform laboratory recognition and NDT supplier recognition in accordance with Rule Notes NR 320 and NR 669, respectively.
Materials and equipment certification FAQs
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What is a conformity assessment?
Conformity assessments ensure that materials and equipment meet specific design and technical standards. Bureau Veritas offers certification services for all marine materials and equipment covered by classification rules. We perform conformity assessments on equipment listed in international maritime directives (e.g., SOLAS, MARPOL, COLREG) and issue type approval certificates.
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Which classification certificates are issued for materials and equipment?
Type approval certificates are issued to replace individual design assessments, enabling manufacturers to produce equipment that conforms to type tests. Product certificates show proof that products have undergone inspection and tests, verifying compliance with individual design review or type approval processes. Company recognition certificates certify the compliance of manufacturers’ quality management systems.
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How do I get class certification for my materials and equipment?
To achieve class certification, the design of equipment and materials must be reviewed. During production, qualified inspectors will perform periodic onsite audits, and may conduct individual product inspections. Bureau Veritas can also provide process and mass production audits for manufacturers producing equipment and materials at scale.
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Where does Bureau Veritas provide materials & equipment certification?
Bureau Veritas is delegated for product certification by 145 flag states, including France, the UK, Canada and the United States. As a Notified Body under the EU Marine Equipment Directive 2014/90/EU, we are authorized to perform conformity assessments of equipment to be installed on European flag ships. We are similarly approved in the United Kingdom under UK Merchant Ship Marine Equipment Regulations 2016 N°1025 for equipment to be installed on UK flag ships.
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What is VeriStar Equipment?
VeriStar Equipment is a digital application that streamlines the process of requesting equipment surveys, type approval certificates and manufacturer audits. Using the application, marine stakeholders can submit requests for product certificates, type approvals, company recognition certificates, and audits. VeriStar Equipment also works alongside Approval Explorer, a digital platform that helps ship operators locate Bureau Veritas type approved product manufacturers worldwide.
