Overview
ISO 9875:2023 - Ships and marine technology - Marine echo-sounding equipment - defines the minimum operational and performance requirements, together with methods of testing and required test results, for marine echo-sounding equipment. Aligned with IMO performance standards (IMO Resolution A.224(VII) as amended by MSC.74(69)) and intended for use alongside IMO Resolution A.694(17) and IEC 60945, this standard also incorporates bridge alert management references from MSC.302(87) and associated IEC 62923 series. ISO 9875:2023 applies to ship operations at speeds from 0 kn to 30 kn and aims to ensure reliable depth information to aid safe navigation, particularly in shallow water.
Key topics and requirements
ISO 9875:2023 covers technical and functional topics including:
- Performance requirements: minimum operational behavior and accuracy for depth measurement.
- Functionality: range performance, range scales, pulse repetition rate, receiver sensitivity.
- Displays and presentation: main and secondary display requirements, ergonomic criteria for information presentation.
- Alarms and alerts: depth alarm, power-fail alert, system-failure alerts, and bridge alert management per MSC.302(87).
- Accuracy and discrimination: methods to verify measurement accuracy and depth discrimination.
- Environmental and installation: roll and pitch handling, multiple installations, interference and environmental testing.
- Data handling: data storage requirements and test methods.
- Interfaces: digital interfacing requirements (including IEC 61162 series) and Annex C overview of IEC 61162 interfaces.
- Annexes: sound absorption coefficients (Annex A), alerts definitions and identifiers (Annex B), IEC 61162 interface information (Annex C).
Applications and users
ISO 9875:2023 is intended for:
- Manufacturers of echo-sounding equipment to design and certify compliant products.
- Shipyards and integrators installing echo sounders during new builds or retrofits.
- Classification societies and regulators assessing conformity with IMO and ISO performance standards.
- Testing laboratories performing the specified methods of testing and required test results.
- Ship operators and navigators choosing equipment that meets ergonomic, alarm and reliability criteria for safe shallow-water navigation.
Practical uses include ensuring accurate depth measurement, validating alarm behavior for bridge alert management, guiding procurement specifications, and supporting regulatory compliance and certification.
Related standards
- IMO Resolution A.224(VII), A.694(17), MSC.74(69), MSC.302(87)
- IEC 60945 (general maritime equipment testing)
- IEC 61162-1 / IEC 61162-2 / IEC 61162-450 (digital interfaces)
- IEC 62923-1 / IEC 62923-2 (bridge alert management)
Keywords: ISO 9875:2023, marine echo-sounding equipment, echo sounding, depth alarm, IMO Resolution, IEC interfaces, maritime navigation.
