This part of IEC 61162 is based upon the NMEA 2000 standard. The NMEA 2000 standard
contains the requirements for the minimum implementation of a serial-data communications
network to interconnect marine electronic equipment onboard vessels. Equipment designed to
this standard will have the ability to share data, including commands and status, with other
compatible equipment over a single signalling channel.
Data messages are transmitted as a series of data frames, each with robust error check
confirmed frame delivery and guaranteed latency times. As the actual data content of a data
frame is at best 50 % of the transmitted bits, this standard is primarily intended to support
relatively brief data messages, which may be periodic, transmitted as needed, or on-demand
by use of query commands. Typical data includes discrete parameters such as position
latitude and longitude, GPS status values, steering commands to autopilots, finite parameter
lists such as waypoints, and moderately sized blocks of data such as electronic chart
database updates. This standard is not necessarily intended to support high-bandwidth
applications such as radar, electronic chart or other video data, or other intensive database or
file transfer applications.
This standard defines all of the pertinent layers of the International Standards Organisation
Open Systems Interconnect (ISO/OSI) model, from the application layer to the physical layer,
necessary to implement the required IEC 61162-3 network functionality.
This standard defines data formats, network protocol, and the minimum physical layer
necessary for devices to interface. SOLAS applications shall employ redundant designs (for
instance dual networks, redundant network interface circuits) to reduce the impact of single
point failures. The NMEA 2000 standard provides the fundamental tools and methods to
support redundant equipment, buses and messaging. Specific shipboard installation designs
are beyond the scope of this standard, however some guidance is given in Annex A.