ISO 22013:2021 PDF

Overview - ISO 22013:2021 (Marine environment sensor performance)

ISO 22013:2021 defines general requirements for specifications, testing and reporting of marine environment sensors. It standardizes terms and test methods and sets reporting requirements so manufacturers produce consistent, comparable specifications for instruments such as CTDs (conductivity‑temperature‑depth), sound velocity probes, multi‑parameter sondes and dissolved gas sensors. The standard covers sensors measuring conductivity, temperature, pressure (depth), sound speed, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, pH, chlorophyll and is generally applicable to all marine environment instruments. Note: a CTD directly measures conductivity, temperature and pressure (depth is derived from pressure); the document uses both “sound velocity” and “sound speed” terminology.

Key topics and technical requirements

ISO 22013:2021 specifies how to define and test the following critical sensor attributes:

• Terms and definitions to ensure consistent vocabulary across manufacturers and test labs.
• Specifications including calibration, calibrated/measuring ranges, accuracy, resolution, response time, sample rate, and stability.
• Depth and pressure ratings (maximum depth, crush depth and pressure case void considerations).
• Mechanical properties such as wetted materials, exterior dimensions, mass and weights in air/freshwater/seawater, operating temperature range.
• Electrical requirements including input voltage, operating and startup power consumption.
• Interface and communications (electrical connections, communications protocols, galvanic isolation).
• Test methods covering calibration design, statistical analysis for precision and trueness (accuracy), resolution/noise characterization, response‑time experiments, stability and shelf‑life testing. ISO 22013 references established statistical guidance (e.g., ISO 5725) and provides experimental layouts and reporting formats.
• Publication and reporting: required content for datasheets, test reports and calibration certificates to ensure transparent manufacturer claims.

Applications and practical value

ISO 22013:2021 is practical for:

• Sensor manufacturers producing CTDs, sondes, dissolved‑gas and other marine probes - to create standardized datasheets and validation reports.
• Independent test laboratories conducting calibration, accuracy and stability tests following accepted experimental designs.
• Oceanographers, survey companies and environmental monitoring agencies selecting and specifying instruments based on verified performance metrics.
• Procurement and regulatory bodies requiring consistent, auditable sensor specifications for contracts and compliance.

Adopting ISO 22013 improves comparability of sensor data, helps reduce procurement risk, and supports reproducible environmental monitoring.

Related standards

• ISO 5725 (statistical methods for measurement accuracy) is referenced for precision and trueness assessment.
• Users should consult sector‑specific standards and calibration laboratory accreditation guidance when implementing ISO 22013 requirements.