Hamburg, 22 August 2016. The specialist electro-technology company Pfannenberg is currently the only manufacturer whose visual/audible signaling solutions are certified to be used in the maritime industry as stipulated by the European Marine Equipment Directive (MED). The tried and tested visual and audible PA and PA X signaling devices in the PATROL series are designed to work reliably and safely on ships and are therefore suitable for use in all the EU member states and in states which apply the Marine Equipment Directive 96/98/EC.
Clear regulations for reliable fire alerting
The European Marine Equipment Directive stipulates that it is mandatory that only MED-certified products should be used for fire alerting. Pfannenberg's sounders and combined sounder/flashing light devices are therefore the ideal solution for newly built or overhauled ships. The technology is designed to cope with the demanding operating conditions on ships and ensures greater safety and completely reliable fire alerting. The on-board equipment provided by ship-building companies, service providers and system providers is therefore not only safe and effective, but also norm-compliant.
No certificate, no maritime applications
If the regulations and norms for equipment in the shipping industry change, the MED certificate issued for previously licensed products becomes invalid and the devices must not be used on ships. This has indeed happened and manufacturers who have lost their certificate need to apply for it again. The significance and the immediate effect of the certification are shown particularly clearly when one considers that the global umbrella organisation Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) assumes that there are currently 48 ships under construction in European shipyards with a total value of more than €27 billion – just for the cruise industry.
The expenditure on building new ships and maintaining old ones has increased every year for the last four years. Carsten Hippler, Sales Product Manager at Pfannenberg, explains: "The number of suppliers of MED-certified signaling devices has fallen drastically since the guidelines were changed. Currently, many products are without licenses and therefore cannot be considered for new shipbuilding projects or for overhauls. We are proud that our visual and visual/audible signaling devices fulfil the new requirements and can be used to deliver the highest possible level of safety in fire alerting on board ship."
MED-certified signaling devices PA and PA X
The PA sounder and PA X sounder/flashing light combination device in the PATROL series have a Germanischer Lloyd (DNV-GL) license as well as MED certification and offer in addition to a 10-year product guarantee very high levels of reliability, availability and performance. Further benefits include rapid, easy and safe installation on site.
An explanation of MED certification: Link to the MarED database which lists all the products holding the license (more than 35,000).
