Quin Global is making a series of preparations in advance of changing conformity assessment procedures for marine equipment, allowing us to continue serving our markets in the UK & within the EU. These preparations come following the end of the post-Brexit transition period and changes to relevant UK carriage requirement instruments, affecting three products across our TensorGrip Marine, TensorGrip Joinery and Gekko Flooring Adhesives brands.
The United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union will see a series of changes to approvals and standards, including amendments to the Merchant Shipping (Marine Equipment) Regulations 2016. These amendments will replace MSN1874 (M+F) Amendment 3 and will seek to enhance safety at sea and prevention of pollution to the marine environment, ensuring that the law continues to operate effectively once the UK has left the EU.
The new regulations will provide for international standards for marine equipment - including adhesives - placed on board UK ships and for the enforcement of those international standards. Whilst ensuring that compliance with applicable international standards is approved by a UK body, they will also enable marine equipment which meets EU requirements and is approved by an EU Notified Body to be placed on the UK market or onboard a UK ship.
Under these Regulations, UK ships will have the choice of two types of approved marine equipment: equipment that has EU approval under the Directive or equipment which has been approved under the UK system. This means that manufacturers will face specific obligations when seeking to obtain UK Conformity Assessment approval.
Under the Marine Equipment Directive 2014/90/EU, certified products carry the distinctive "wheel mark” - a standard outlined by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and enforced by The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS). The introduction of new Regulations will see the UKCA ‘black flag’ mark placed on all products being placed on the market in Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland) and will cover most products that previously required a CE mark.
The UKCA (UK Conformity Assessed) mark is the new UK product marking that will be required for certain products being placed on the market in Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland). It covers most products that previously required the “wheelmark”. It will not be recognized in the EU market, and products that require CE marking will still need a CE marking to be sold in the EU. Quin Global’s current preparations will see wholesale changes to compliance labeling, with the UKCA ‘black flag’ mark to be applied to a selection of our adhesives.
IMO ‘Wheelmarking’ or UKCA Black Flag labelling on adhesive products will depend on where original certification was obtained and where the relevant laboratories were based. Whilst the “wheelmark” will be removed from all labels on products destined for the EU, comprehensive testing will be conducted so that it can be re-applied.Once this process is complete, UK products will carry the UKCA ‘black flag’ and EU products the IMO ‘wheelmark’.
Associated adhesives from Quin Global are tested and comply with SOLAS 1974 Regulation II-2/3, II-2/5, II-2/9 and X/3; IMO Resolution MSC 307(88): Annex 1: Part 5 and IMO MSC/Circ.1120. Please see the affected products below:
Quin Global would like to assure its customers in the United Kingdom and within the European Union that it is making all necessary arrangements to guarantee compliance around the use of adhesives on ocean-going vessels.
*Please note: To allow businesses time to adjust, MED approved equipment can continue to be placed on UK ships until 1 January 2023, provided MED and UK Standards remain equivalent.
Get in Touch with Quin GlobalFor more information on changes to merchant shipping regulations and how this will impact our adhesives, please contact a member of the Quin Global team via sales.uk@quinglobal.com. Alternatively, get in touch via telephone on +44 (0) 1738 494919.