Marine Equipment Directive / MED certified gas detector with Wheelmark
The Marine Equipment Directive (MED), also known as the ''Wheelmark'', is a certification mark that applies specifically to marine equipment and products used on ships sailing under the flag of countries that have signed the SOLAS (International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea) treaty. The Marine Equipment Directive (MED) is intended to safeguard the safety of ships and the people on board by setting minimum safety standards for marine equipment.
The Wheelmark/MED is the symbol indicating that a product meets these standards and is suitable for use at sea. In this article we will focus specifically on gas detection that is suitable for use in the marine sector. So if you are looking for an MED certified gas detector with Wheelmark, you have come to the right place. We will cover the following topics:
- What exactly is the Wheelmark / MED?
- Why does the MED matter?
- What does the standard say?
- The best MED certified gas detector with Wheelmark?
What exactly is the Wheelmark / MED?
As briefly mentioned above, the Marine Equipment Directive 2014/90/EU is a certification mark that applies to equipment and products used on ships whose flag states have signed the SOLAS treaty. This is an International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea. This Wheelmark/MED certification is of vital importance in the shipping sector, because it shows that a product has been tested and approved against strict European standards for safety and performance. Products carrying the Wheelmark range from life jackets and fire extinguishers to navigation equipment and electrical systems on board ships, and therefore also include measuring instruments such as gas detectors. The aim is to ensure that ships are fitted with reliable and safe equipment in order to minimise the risks at sea.
Why does the MED matter?
The Wheelmark and the Marine Equipment Directive (MED) matter in the shipping sector for several reasons. First of all, meeting these standards is a legal requirement for sailing in international waters. Quite apart from the legislation, equipment that complies with the MED is also in your own interest. The standards enforced by the Marine Equipment Directive are aimed at improving the safety of ships and their crews. Approved equipment and products meet specific safety standards and are designed to function in marine conditions, which reduces the risk of accidents and emergencies at sea. Examples:
- Life jackets: Life jackets must meet certain requirements, such as buoyancy and material strength, and must be designed to fit properly and be easy to put on, even in difficult conditions.
- Navigation and communication equipment: Radar systems, radio equipment and other navigation and communication equipment must meet technical standards for performance, reliability and interoperability in order to guarantee safe navigation and communication at sea.
- Electrical and electronic systems: All electrical and electronic systems on board ships must meet safety standards in order to minimise the risk of short circuits, fire or failure, particularly in damp conditions. Gas detectors with Wheelmark also fall into this category.
What does the standard say?
Many ships are built with confined spaces that can present hazards to the personnel who have to enter them to carry out work: toxic gases, lack of oxygen and the risk of explosion from flammable or combustible gases and vapours. Examples of such spaces include, but are not limited to, cargo and ballast tanks, hulls and holds. These risks can be reduced by taking gas measurements with a suitable multi-gas detector before entering the space. When your gas detector has been tested in accordance with the Marine Equipment Directive, you have an MED certified gas detector, in other words a gas detector with Wheelmark.
First of all, the Marine Equipment Directive 2014/90/EU sets out what the standard applies to: a wide range of marine equipment and products used on board ships. Key products identified in the standard are life jackets, firefighting equipment, navigation equipment, communication equipment, life rafts and fire detection and alarm systems. Equipment and products present on seagoing vessels must meet the design, construction and performance requirements applicable at the time the equipment is placed on board.
Equipment and products whose conformity with the requirements of this directive has been demonstrated must carry the 'Wheelmark' certification mark (see below, as shown in the standard, annex 1).
All of this is of course a very brief explanation, and a great many ISO standards and other regulations come into play. We will not go into those any further in this article.
SOLAS regulation XI-1/7 requires all SOLAS-applicable ships to carry portable gas detectors on board so that the crew can safely enter confined spaces. Every ship must have at least one suitable portable gas detector on board, capable of measuring at least the concentrations of oxygen (O2), flammable gases or vapours (LEL), hydrogen sulphide (H2S) and carbon monoxide (CO) before you enter confined spaces. It also states that a worker must subsequently remain safe inside the space, so gas concentrations must be measured continuously until all work has been completed.
MSC.1/Circ.1477, drawn up by the Maritime Safety Committee of the International Maritime Organization on SOLAS regulation XI-1/7, states: “It should be noted that, given the particular characteristics and operations of a ship, additional atmospheric hazards may be present in confined spaces that may not be detected by a standard 4-gas detector selected in accordance with these guidelines, and in such cases additional suitable instruments should, where known, be carried.”
These guidelines relate to the instrument used to test the atmosphere in an enclosed space before entering it, and thereafter at appropriate intervals until all work has been completed. The instrument must be able to measure and display concentrations of:
- oxygen (O2)
- flammable gases or vapours (% of LEL);
- carbon monoxide (CO); and
- hydrogen sulphide (H2S)
The instrument must clearly and unambiguously indicate which gas or vapour it is measuring. The SOLAS XI-1/7 regulation requires gas detectors to be a dedicated 4-gas instrument (not personal), with 10 hours of continuous operation, water- and dust-tight to Ingress Protection classification IP67, and capable of remote detection (using a pump with a sampling hose) suitable for testing the atmosphere in an enclosed space before entry.
Calibration is also a requirement, as prescribed by the manufacturer's instructions. In order to comply with all of the legislation and guidelines above, BaSystemen always recommends an instrument with a pump or an optional pump. Best practice is of course to work with a pumped gas detector for clearance measurements of the confined space and personal gas detectors while work is carried out inside it. There are also gas detectors with a switchable pump function, or devices that can be connected to an external pump, which can save costs. For a widely used MED certified gas detector with Wheelmark, you can scroll further down.
SOLAS XI-1/7 additionally defines the following requirements for gas detectors used in the marine sector:
Explosion safety: The device must comply with the relevant explosion protection standards.
Calibration and bump testing: All gas detectors must be tested periodically to guarantee reliability. The correct calibration equipment must be provided and records of the tests must be kept on board the ship.
Electromagnetic compatibility: The gas detector with Wheelmark must not be adversely affected by other electronic devices or equipment in the vicinity, nor may it cause interference with that equipment.
Which gas detectors comply with the Marine Equipment Directive?
When it comes to gas detection, a number of manufacturers have responded to the marine sector and its associated guidelines. There is therefore plenty of choice in gas detectors (portable, transportable and fixed alike). Because at BaSystemen we are not tied to any single gas detector manufacturer, we can offer a broad range, even when it comes to certified portable and fixed gas detectors for the marine industry. The products below have been developed in combination with extensive advice, technical expertise and knowledge of the regulations. Our extensive range offers a great many reliable, compact and robust designs and the flexibility to adapt to specific operational requirements, in order to provide a complete solution for the maritime industry.
GX-3R personal MED certified gas detector
The portable GX-3R from Riken Keiki Instruments is certified in accordance with the MED guidelines. Riken Keiki is one of the few gas detection manufacturers whose range of marine instruments is certified to the MED regulations. To this day the GX-3R is the smallest 4-gas detector on the market, and attractively priced too. Thanks to its weight and size, the device can easily be attached to workwear or worn on the upper arm with an elastic strap. It measures oxygen, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulphide and explosive gases.
GX-3R personal MED certified gas detector
The portable GX-3R from Riken Keiki Instruments is certified in accordance with the MED guidelines. Riken Keiki is one of the few gas detection manufacturers whose range of marine instruments is certified to the MED regulations. To this day the GX-3R is the smallest 4-gas detector on the market, and attractively priced too. Thanks to its weight and size, the device can easily be attached to workwear or worn on the upper arm with an elastic strap. It measures oxygen, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulphide and explosive gases.
GX-3R Pro personal 5-gas detector
The GX-3R Pro is a personal gas detector carrying the Wheelmark certification mark. In size, the portable GX-3R Pro is a fraction wider than the GX-3R above, because the device has one extra sensor position. That makes it the smallest and lightest 5-gas detector available. In addition to the four standard gases, the GX-3R Pro also measures carbon dioxide (CO2). Like the GX-3R, the GX-3R Pro gas detector with Wheelmark complies with the Marine Equipment Directive for safe use at sea.
PS200 personal gas detector
The PS200 personal MED certified gas detector with Wheelmark is a minimum requirement under all of the standards above. It is a gas detector that measures four gases simultaneously (LEL, O2, H2S and CO) in order to meet all SOLAS requirements. A major advantage is that the PS200 can be ordered with a built-in pump that can be switched on and off. That effectively gives you a pumped gas detector and a personal gas detector in one.
PS500 pumped gas detector with Wheelmark
The PS500 pumped MED certified gas detector with Wheelmark is suitable for monitoring up to 5 different gases. The device has a powerful pump, which makes it ideal for clearing confined spaces for entry. Where the PS200 offers a choice of only 4 sensor types, the PS500 offers a choice of more than 10 different sensors. Both the PS200 and the PS500 are gas detectors that comply with the Marine Equipment Directive.
GX-9000 all-in-one gas detector
The GX-9000 is the successor to the detectors in the GX/RX-8000 series, which have safeguarded safety in the marine sector for more than 10 years. At the time of writing (May '24) the application for MED certification for this device is still in progress, but hopefully in the coming weeks/months it too will be confirmed as an MED certified gas detector with Wheelmark. The Riken Keiki GX-9000 measures six gases simultaneously, with a choice of O2, LEL, CO, H2S, NH3, Cl2, HCN, VOCs, CO2 and more. The device also has a pump, so that confined spaces can be cleared for entry. In effect the GX-9000 can be seen as an alternative gas detector to the ShipSurveyor from GMI by Teledyne.
ShipSurveyor complete gas detector with Wheelmark
The ShipSurveyor was designed in collaboration with ship managers and ships' crews. The result is a portable gas detector with Wheelmark developed specifically for the maritime sector. This MED certified gas detector can measure and display up to 5 gases simultaneously, with a choice of sensors for explosive gases (LEL PPM and/or LEL VOL%), oxygen, carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulphide. The versatile instrument also has a powerful pump, which makes it suitable for a wide range of maritime applications, including confined space monitoring, cargo monitoring and inerting, clearance measurements, tank cleaning and many other maritime applications on ships such as LNG / LPG tankers, oil tankers and refrigerated cargo vessels. With ATEX and MED approval, the ShipSurveyor is the complete shipping solution. Full data logging software is also supplied, allowing gas measurements, including locations, to be uploaded to a PC.
Fixed MED certified gas detector with Wheelmark
Indeed, the International Gas Carrier Code (IGC Code) stipulates that gas detection equipment must be installed to ensure the integrity of the cargo hold and cargo handling, and the
associated systems must be tested in accordance with recognised standards. To ensure that the fixed gas detection system functions effectively, promptly and reliably
accurate calibration of the sensors is of vital importance. So which fixed gas detectors are suitable and comply with the guidelines for use at sea? We will not go into that any further in this article, but BaSystemen will gladly help you find a fixed gas detector with Wheelmark. Contact us for free advice.
