ISO 13617:2019

Overview - ISO 13617:2019 (Shipboard incinerators - Requirements)

ISO 13617:2019 specifies requirements for the design, manufacture, performance, operation, functioning and testing of shipboard incinerators intended to dispose of garbage and other wastes generated during a ship’s normal service. The standard applies to incinerator plants with capacities up to 4 000 kW per unit and aligns with relevant International Maritime Organization (IMO) requirements. It is not intended for special incinerator ships used to burn industrial chemicals or manufacturing residues.

Key exclusions: the standard does not cover the electrical supply to the unit, foundation or stack connections. It also highlights that users are responsible for establishing appropriate safety, health practices and regulatory compliance.

Key technical topics and requirements

ISO 13617:2019 addresses technical topics across design, electrical, operational and testing domains. Major areas include:

• General design requirements

  • Piping, rotating parts, insulation/cooling, corrosion protection
  • Combustion chamber and pressure, feeding systems, charging of solid/liquid wastes
  • Ash removal, observation ports, flue gas cooling
  • Pre-purging/post-purging and required mass fraction of oxygen in discharge gases
  • Marking, instruction and warning plates

• Electrical and control requirements

  • Disconnects, live-part protection, wiring, bonding and overcurrent protection
  • Control-circuit design, failure mode behavior, ignition systems, motors
  • Safety devices: emergency stop, safety thermostats, flame failure/low-oil detection, alarms and indicators

• Materials, operation and maintenance

  • Materials selection, operation while inclined, drip trays, manuals and maintenance documentation

• Testing and certification

  • Prototype, factory and on‑ship installation testing
  • Specific functional tests for flame safeguards, limit controls, fuel valves and programming controls
  • Certification, marking and quality-assurance provisions

• Annexes

  • Annex A (normative): Emission requirements for ships subject to MARPOL
  • Annex B (normative): Location requirements for incinerators aboard ships
  • Annex C (informative): Recommendations for incinerators integrated with heat recovery units
  • Annex D (normative): Flue gas temperature requirements

Practical applications - who uses ISO 13617:2019

This standard is used by:

• Shipbuilders and shipowners/operators specifying onboard incineration systems
• Incinerator manufacturers and system integrators designing marine incinerators (≤4 000 kW)
• Marine engineers, chief engineers and shipboard technical staff for safe operation and maintenance
• Flag administrations, classification societies and regulatory compliance officers verifying conformity with IMO/MARPOL requirements
• Naval architects and shipyards for equipment siting and installation planning

Related standards and regulations

• IMO MARPOL provisions (emissions and waste-management requirements)
• SOLAS (safety of life at sea) conventions and related IMO guidance
• ISO/IEC Directives for standard development and conformity guidance

Keywords: ISO 13617:2019, shipboard incinerators, marine incinerators, MARPOL, flue gas temperature, heat recovery, incinerator testing, ship waste management, SOLAS.