National Register of Compliant Equipment 
Guide for Application

Introduction

The National Marine Safety Committee (NMSC) has established the National Register of Compliant Equipment (NRCE). The NRCE has been established to inform architects, builders, operators and local authorities that a marine product or system will fulfil the requirements of the relevant sections of the Uniform Shipping Laws (USL) Code/National Standard for Commercial Vessels (NSCV) or the National Standard for Recreational Boat Safety Equipment (NSRB - SE). The NRCE is a source for identifying marine products and systems that have been approved in accordance with requirements set out in the NRCE Policy and Procedures. Products or systems approved for listing on the NRCE have been appraised and demonstrated to comply with the requirements of the Uniform Shipping Laws (USL) Code/National Standard for Commercial Vessels (NSCV) of the National Standard for Recreational Boat Safety Equipment (NSRB - SE).

How the appraisal system works

Listing on the NRCE is based on the appraisal of the product or system in terms of its fitness for the intended purpose by an independent product certification body. Therefore, the first thing that the proprietor of a product or system must do is to take it to a recognized appraisal organisation. The following are recognized for this purpose:

• A certifying body accredited by the Joint Accreditation Scheme of Australia and New Zealand (JAS-ANZ)
• One of the following recognised, Australian-based testing and listing authorities:
  • A laboratory with applicable NATA accreditation
  • Factory Mutual (FM)
  • Loss Prevention Council (LPC)
  • Underwriters Laboratories (UL)
• A ship classification society recognised by Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA)
• A Notified Body in accordance with the EU Marine Equipment Directive, Module B (MED-B) or, in the case of personal floatation devices (PFDs) for use on recreational craft, the Personal Protective Equipment Directive, [in accordance with Article 10 of the Directive]

The criteria used for appraisal are the specifications contained in the Uniform Shipping Laws (USL) Code Sections 5F, 10, 11 or 13, or the National Standard for Commercial Vessels (NSCV) or the National Standard for recreational Boat Safety Equipment, as applicable. The relevant sections of the USL Code can be down loaded below.

An appraisal must include the following:

1. A full description of the product or system.
2. The appraised use of the product or system, along with any limitations or restrictions on its use.
3. An opinion that the appraised product or system is suitable for its appraised purpose and that it meets the requirements of the relevant standard.
4. The opinion shall include a summary of any tests, calculations, inspections or other evidence that forms the basis of the opinion.
5. The details of how any licence or approval are obtained, if it is required that the product or system be installed by a specialist installer/applicator.
6. The details for design, storage, installation and maintenance of the product or system, where appropriate.
7. The date of the appraisal.

The results of the appraisal, which includes all of the above, is considered to be the Appraiser Report.

The Appraiser Report can take the form of the following documentation:

• Declaration of compliance and results of testing for the purpose by a recognised, Australian-based testing and listing authority.
• Certificate of compliance issued by a certifying body accredited by the Joint Accreditation Scheme of Australia and New Zealand (JAS-ANZ).
• Current type approval documentation issued by a ship classification society recognised by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA).
• Approval documentation issued by a Notified Body in accordance with the EU Marine Equipment Directive, Module B (MED-B) or, in the case of personal floatation devices (PFDs) for use on recreational craft, in accordance with the Personal Protective Equipment Directive.

Additionally, specific to navigation lights,

• Current declaration of compliance and results of testing or a certificate of compliance from a recognised, Australian-based testing and listing authority or a certifying body accredited by the Joint Accreditation Scheme of Australia and New Zealand (JAS-ANZ) as indicated above.
• Current approval documentation from an EU member marine authority accompanied with the associated type test certificate issued by a Notified Body recognised in accordance with the EU Marine Equipment Directive, Module B (MED-B) or other test bodies recognised for the purpose by the EU member marine authority upon which the approval documentation is based.
• Current approval documentation from the U.S.Coast Guard accompanied with the type test certificate issued by a test body approved by the USCG upon which the approval documentation is based.

In the case of navigation lights, the approval documentation must clearly indicate it has been issued on the basis of meeting the chromaticity and luminosity criteria for navigation lights specified in the International Regulations for the Prevention of Collision at Sea (COLREGS) Rule 22 and Annex 1 Para 7 & 8 including specification of the visibility of the lights in accordance with Annex 1 (i.e. appraised use and limitations/ restrictions) and also include sufficient detail to satisfy all of the Appraisal Report requirements

Approval for Listing

On receipt of the Appraiser Report, the Applicant should fill in the application form available for down load below and send it to the NRCE Administrator, with one (1) copy of the Appraiser Report and supporting documents. The NRCE Administrator will assess the application for completeness. The Applicant will be notified with either a request for further information if the Appraiser Report is not complete or a confirmation of details to be listed for an approved appraisal, along with an invoice for the applicable fee.

If uncertain about the preparation of the submission, the Applicant should contact the NRCE Administrator who should be able to clarify requirements.

Need help with appraisal?

For information about appraisal organisations, the Applicant is encouraged to contact the NRCE Administrator.

Confidentiality

The NRCE Administrator shall regard information contained in any application for listing on the NRCE as confidential.

Schedule of Fees

The NMSC National Register of Compliant Equipment scheme is aimed at cost recovery. The costs of administering the applications for listing and maintaining the NRCE are recovered by way of a fee structure comprised of two (2) components:

1. Annual Subscription Fee (includes joining fee),

2. Product Listing Fee.

Applicants will be invoiced once the application has been assessed and the product is listed.

Subscription Fee

(i) Joining Fee: The joining fee is a once only fee payable at the time an applicant lists a product for the first time.

(ii) Annual Subscription Fee: Subscription fees are applicable on an annual basis. They will be invoiced each annual anniversary month relating to the Joining Fee for the duration that the applicant has any product or system listed on the NRCE.

Example: if the joining fee was paid in May 2002, then subsequent subscription fees are due in May, 2003, May, 2004 etc.

Product Listing Fee

The Product Listing Fee is a one-off fee for the full five year listing period. It is applicable each time a product is listed on the NRCE ie it is applied once at the time of the product or system's initial listing and once at each time of re-listing.

The Product Listing Fee is related directly to the Recommended Retail Price of the product being listed and will be levied for each product listed. To encourage efficient listing of products, the product listing fees of all products submitted as a batch at the one time, by a single applicant, will be capped.

Fee Structure

Listing Example

Applicant A applies to list 2 products, one with an RRP of $250 and one with an RRP of $600. The applicant has no product currently listed on the NRCE. The fee levied for the successful application would be:

Payment

Payment should accompany application or be provided on receipt of invoice from National Marine Safety Committee Inc. Cheques should be made payable to National Marine Safety Committee Inc. Credit card payments are acceptable on receipt of authorised faxed instructions.

Compliance Appraisal

The cost of compliance appraisal is a matter between the proprietor and the appraisal organisation.

Lodging the Application

Applications with accompanying Appraiser Report should be lodged with the NRCE Administrator at the following Address:

National Register of Compliant Equipment Administrator
C/o National Marine Safety Committee Inc.

PO Box 1871 Royal Exchange NSW 1225

For further information regarding product compliance or listing on the Register, please contact: