Key Performance Indicators of Marine Cables

1. Mandatory Compliance Indicators (One-Vote Veto, Mandatory for Ship Inspection)

1. Classification Society Type Approval (TA) and Product Certification
   
   
   Core Requirement: Must hold a valid Type Approval Certificate issued by the classification society where the target vessel is classed (including CCS, DNV, LR, ABS, BV, NK, etc.). Each batch of products shall be accompanied by traceable factory inspection reports and material certificates; explosion-proof cables require additional explosion-proof certificates, and fire-resistant cables require special fire resistance performance certification.
2. Standard Compliance
   
   
   Must meet core international standards: IEC 60092 series standards for electrical installations in ships, and relevant clauses of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS). Domestic vessels in China shall also comply with national standards such as GB/T 9331 (marine power cables) and GB/T 20637 (marine control cables).
3. Product Traceability
   
   
   Each reel of cable must be marked with permanent identification, clearly indicating: model and specification, rated voltage, core number and cross-section, manufacturer, production date, standard number, classification society mark, and meter mark. The marking shall be resistant to ink wiping and seawater immersion without falling off.
4. Special Mandatory Compliance Requirements
   
   
   Full-ship application of Low Smoke Zero Halogen (LSZH) cables is mandatory for passenger ships and ro-ro ships; cables used in hazardous areas of oil tankers and chemical tankers must be explosion-proof cables compliant with IEC 60079; ship emergency systems must use fire-resistant cables meeting SOLAS requirements.

2. Core Electrical Performance Indicators (Basic Functions, Determining Transmission Capacity)

1. DC Resistance of Conductor
   
   
   Core Requirement: Marine cables mandate the use of tinned copper conductors (for seawater corrosion resistance and oxidation resistance). The conductor structure shall comply with IEC 60228 Class 5/6 flexible conductor standards, and the DC resistance at 20℃ must be lower than the upper limit of the standard. It is the core indicator to judge whether the conductor material and cross-section are qualified.
2. Rated Voltage and Power Frequency Withstand Voltage Performance
   
   
   Core Requirement: The rated voltage of conventional low-voltage marine cables is 0.6/1kV, and that of medium-voltage cables is 3.6/6kV ~ 18/30kV. The cable must pass the power frequency withstand voltage test (3.5kV/5min for 0.6/1kV cables, increased by standard multiples for medium-voltage cables) without breakdown or flashover. It is the core indicator to judge the reliability of the insulation layer.
3. Insulation Resistance and Volume Resistivity
   
   
   Core Requirement: Under high temperature and high humidity environment, the insulation layer shall maintain high insulation resistance. The conventional requirement is that the insulation resistance per kilometer at 70℃ is ≥ 10MΩ·km, to avoid insulation failure, short circuit and leakage under long-term high humidity environment of ships.
4. Current-Carrying Capacity and Long-Term Allowable Operating Temperature
   
   
   Core Requirement: The current-carrying capacity shall be corrected according to the actual ambient temperature of the ship (the ambient temperature of the engine room is often 45℃ ~ 50℃, much higher than the 25℃ benchmark for land use). The long-term allowable operating temperature of different insulation materials determines the upper limit of current-carrying capacity: 90℃ for Cross-linked Polyethylene (XLPE), 90℃ for Ethylene Propylene Rubber (EPR), and 70℃ for Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC). It is the core basis for cable selection.
5. Short-Circuit Current Withstand Capability
   
   
   Core Requirement: The short-circuit current of the ship power station is large, requiring the cable to withstand large current in a short time without insulation thermal breakdown during short-circuit faults. The maximum short-circuit withstand temperature is 250℃ for XLPE insulated cables, 200℃ for EPR insulated cables, and 160℃ for PVC insulated cables, which must meet the 5s short-circuit thermal stability verification required by classification societies.
6. Dielectric Loss Factor
   
   
   Core Requirement: Mandatory assessment for medium and high voltage marine cables, requiring the dielectric loss factor at 90℃ under rated voltage to be ≤ 0.001. It reflects the aging degree and electrical stability of the insulation layer, and avoids insulation heating failure during long-term operation.
7. Characteristic Impedance, Capacitance and Attenuation (Exclusive for Signal/Communication Cables)
   
   
   Core Requirement: Marine control, instrumentation and communication cables shall be assessed for characteristic impedance (e.g. 100Ω Ethernet cables), working capacitance, crosstalk attenuation and transmission attenuation, to ensure stable signal transmission of ship navigation and automation systems, and resist strong electromagnetic interference from the engine room.

3. Fire Safety Performance Indicators (Mandatory by SOLAS Convention, Core of Ship Safety)

1. Flame Retardancy
   
   
   Test Standard: IEC 60332 series, divided into single vertical flame test and bunched flame test (Class A/B/C).
   
   
   Core Requirement: Marine cables must pass the single vertical flame test, and cables laid in bunches must pass the bunched flame test of the corresponding grade. The flame spread shall not exceed the standard limit, and the cable shall be self-extinguishing after flame removal, to prevent the cable from becoming a channel for fire spread.
2. Fire Resistance (Mandatory for Emergency Systems)
   
   
   Test Standard: IEC 60331. Marine fire-resistant cables must meet the requirement of 90min of flame combustion at 950℃ with rated voltage applied without breakdown.
   
   
   Core Requirement: Fire-resistant cables are mandatory for ship emergency lighting, emergency fire fighting, fire alarm systems, escape routes and emergency power supply circuits, to ensure continuous power supply of emergency systems under fire conditions, and meet the personnel escape and emergency disposal requirements of the SOLAS Convention.
3. Low Smoke Emission Performance
   
   
   Test Standard: IEC 61034, requiring the minimum light transmittance of the cable during combustion to be ≥ 60%.
   
   
   Core Requirement: To avoid thick smoke blocking the escape line of sight in case of fire, it is a mandatory assessment for cables in passenger ships, closed cabins and escape routes, and a core requirement of the SOLAS Convention.
4. Halogen-Free and Low Toxicity Performance
   
   
   Test Standard: IEC 60754-1/2. Halogen-free cables require the release of halogen acid gas ≤ 0.5%, and must meet the toxicity index requirements.
   
   
   Core Requirement: Low Smoke Zero Halogen (LSZH) cables are mandatory for passenger ships, ro-ro ships and high-end offshore platforms. They do not release corrosive halogen acid gas and toxic gas in case of fire, to avoid casualties from poisoning, and protect ship electrical equipment from corrosion.

4. Marine Environment Resistance Indicators (Exclusive to Marine Cables, Differentiating from Land-Use Cables)

1. Salt Spray Corrosion Resistance
   
   
   Test Standard: IEC 60068-2-11. Marine cables must pass at least 1000h neutral salt spray test, with no rust on the conductor, metal shielding/armouring layer, and no significant attenuation of insulation and sheath performance.
   
   
   Core Requirement: It adapts to the high salt spray marine environment, especially for cables laid on open weather decks, ship sides and splash zones, and is a basic mandatory requirement for marine cables.
2. Oil Resistance (Core Indicator for Engine Room)
   
   
   Test Standard: IEC 60811-2-1, divided into different grades of mineral oil resistance, diesel resistance, hydraulic oil resistance, etc.
   
   
   Core Requirement: Cables in the engine room and pump room are in long-term contact with fuel oil, lubricating oil and hydraulic oil. It is required that the retention rate of tensile strength and elongation at break of the sheath after immersion is ≥ 80%, without cracking or swelling. It is a mandatory assessment indicator for engine room cables.
3. Mould (Fungus) Resistance
   
   
   Test Standard: IEC 60068-2-10, requiring mould resistance grade 0/1.
   
   
   Core Requirement: For ships navigating in tropical and subtropical zones, the cable will not grow mould under high temperature and high humidity environment, to avoid performance failure caused by mould erosion of the insulation and sheath.
4. Weather and UV Resistance
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