CLASS PROGRAMME

Type approval
DNVGL-CP-0403 Edition December 2015

Data communication cables - category

cables

The electronic pdf version of this document, available free of charge

from http://www.dnvgl.com, is the officially binding version.

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FOREWORD

DNV GL class programmes contain procedural and technical requirements including acceptance
criteria for obtaining and retaining certificates for objects and organisations related to
classification.

© DNV GL AS December 2015

Any comments may be sent by e-mail to rules@dnvgl.com

This service document has been prepared based on available knowledge, technology and/or information at the time of issuance of this
document. The use of this document by others than DNV GL is at the user's sole risk. DNV GL does not accept any liability or responsibility
for loss or damages resulting from any use of this document.
CHANGES – CURRENT

Changes - current
This is a new document.

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 Contents
CONTENTS

Changes – current...................................................................................................... 3

Section 1 General....................................................................................................... 5
1 Introduction............................................................................................5
2 Documentation........................................................................................5

Section 2 Product requirements................................................................................. 7

1 Design requirements.............................................................................. 7
2 Test requirements.................................................................................. 8

Section 3 Test requirements...................................................................................... 9

1 General................................................................................................... 9

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SECTION 1 GENERAL

Section 1
1 Introduction

1.1 Objective
The objective of this class programme (CP) is to describe the type approval (TA) scheme for data
communication cables/category cables.
For a description of the Society's type approval scheme in general and further information on general
conditions and procedures for obtaining the Society's TA certificate, see the Society's document DNVGL CP
0338Type approval scheme.
The procedures and requirements described in this CP are applicable for obtaining the Society's TA certificate
based on requirements given in:
— DNV GL rules for classification - Ships RU SHIP Pt.4 Ch.8 Electrical installations
— DNV GL offshore standardOS D201 Electrical installations.
Guidance note:
This class programme is not applicable for obtaining EU marine equipment directive (MED) certificates. Visit www.dnvgl.com for
information on MED certification.

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1.2 Scope
This CP gives a description of the procedures and requirements related to documentation, design and type
testing applicable for TA of data communication cables/category cables.
This CP does not set the design requirements to the data communication cables/category cables. TA is based
on compliance with design requirements given in the rules and/or other regulations and standards. The CP
describes the applicable design requirements and how to document compliance with the requirements in
order to obtain a TA certificate for the equipment. This includes, where relevant, technical requirements for
how the type tests shall be performed.

1.3 Application
RU SHIP Pt.4 Ch.8 require that data communication cables/category cables are type approved by the Society,
and TA in accordance with this CP is thus mandatory for equipment to be installed on DNV GL classed
vessels.
A TA certificate in accordance with this CP will confirm compliance with the requirements in the rules as
specified in [1.1]. The TA certificate will not confirm compliance with requirements in other parts of the rules.
In case additional requirements in other parts of the rules shall be covered by the TA certificate, this shall be
specified in the application for TA and will be stated in the TA certificate.

2 Documentation
For TA of data communication cables/category cables the following documentation shall be submitted:
1) data sheet(s)
2) main drawings of all different cable construction comprised by the type approval, showing conductors
and the different layers
3) references to design standards, rules, specifications etc.
4) specification of applied material
5) test results (from tests already carried out, if any).

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6) applicant’s proposal to type test and routine test

Section 1
7) documentation of reliability and endurance on board ships and mobile offshore units, if any
8) special operational limitations
9) field of application
10) list of the cables covered by the type approval giving the following information for each variant:
— number of pairs
2
— conductor cross-section (mm ) and number of strands
— max pulling forces (N)
— sheath thickness (mm)
— braiding wire diameter (mm)
— overall maximum and minimum diameter (mm).
11) construction details:
— conductors: Class 1 or class 2. Stranded plain or tinned copper
— sheath material: SHF1, SHF2
— metal covering: Braid or armour made of plain or tinned copper.
12) special properties, if any (watertight, fire resistance, etc.)
13) test programme, which as a minimum includes the elements for type testing. The test programme shall
refer to the relevant standards for each test.
14) application for type approval form 90.01a.

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SECTION 2 PRODUCT REQUIREMENTS

Section 2
1 Design requirements

1.1 General requirements

The data communication cables shall comply with the relevant requirements of the following publications in
its latest edition including amendments:
— DNV GL Rules for Classification RU SHIP Pt.4 Ch.8
— DNV GL Offshore standardsOS D101
— IEC 61156-1 Multicore and symmetrical pair/quad cables for digital communications - Part 1: Generic
specification
— IEC 61156-5: Multicore and symmetrical pair/quad cables for digital communications - Part 5:
Symmetrical pair/quad cables with transmission characteristics up to 1 000 MHz-horizontal floor wiring -
Sectional specification
— IEC 61156-6:2010+AMD1:2012 CSV: Multicore and symmetrical pair/quad cables for digital
communications - Part 6: Symmetrical pair/quad cables with transmission characteristics up to 1 000 MHz
- Work area wiring - Sectional specification
— IEC 60092-350: Shipboard power cables – General construction and test requirements
— IEC 60092-360: Sheathing material for shipboard power and telecommunication cables.

1.2 Special properties

— IEC 60332-1-2, Part 1-2: Test on a vertical flame propagation for a single insulated wire or cable –
Procedure for 1 kW pre-mixed flame
— IEC 60332-2-1, Tests on electric and optical fiber cables under fire conditions - Part 2-1: Test for vertical
flame propagation for a single small insulated wire or cable - Apparatus
— IEC 60332-2-2, Tests on electric and optical fiber cables under fire conditions - Part 2-2: Test for vertical
flame propagation for a single small insulated wire or cable - Procedure for diffusion flame
— IEC 60332-3-10, Tests on electric and optical fiber cables under fire conditions - Part 3-10: Test for
vertical flame spread of vertically-mounted bunched wires or cables - Apparatus
— IEC 60332-3-24, Part 3-24: Test for vertical flame spread of vertically-mounted bunched wires or cables –
Category C
— IEC 60332-3-25, Part 3-25: Test for vertical flame spread of vertically-mounted bunched wires or cables –
Category D
— IEC 60754-1, Test on gases evolved during combustion of materials from cables - Part 1: Determination of
the amount of halogen acid gas
— IEC 60754-2, Test on gases evolved during combustion of materials from cables - Part 2: Determination
of degree of acidity of gases evolved during the combustion of materials taken from electric cables by
measuring pH and conductivity
— IEC 61034-2, Measurement of smoke density of cables burning under defined conditions - Part Two: Test
procedure and requirements.

1.3 Sheath dimension

The nominal sheath thickness (Dt) is defined as follows:
Sheath thickness Dt = 0,04·Df + 0,5 mm with a minimum thickness of 0,7 mm.
Df is the diameter under the sheath.
The mean value of the thickness, and the thickness at any point, shall satisfy the descriptions given in 7.6.2
of IEC 60092-350.

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 Section 2
2 Test requirements
The testing is divided into:
— Visual inspection
— Electrical/mechanical tests.

2.1 Visual inspection

By visual inspection, it is to be verified that the test sample is in conformity with the approved plans.

2.2 Electrical/mechanical tests

The tests are to be according to the relevant parts of the following Sec.3 Table 1.

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SECTION 3 TEST REQUIREMENTS

Section 3
1 General
Table 1 Table of tests

No. Test Test basis Requirements TT RT

Mandatory

General properties

Visual Material free of cracks, splits, irregularities, foreign

1 X X
inspection material and marking

IEC 811-1-1
2 Dimensions Outer sheath thickness X X
IEC 60092-350

Electrical characteristics and tests:

Conductor
3 IEC 61156-5 6.2.1 The maximum value shall be ≤ 9,5Ω/100 m. X X
resistance

Conductor
resistance IEC 61156-5
4 ≤ 2% X X
unbalance 6.2.2.1
within pair

Dielectric strength;
Dielectric
strength DC [kV] AC kV] time
conductor/
5 IEC 61156-5 6.2.3 1,0 0,7 1 min X X
conductor
and conductor/ 2,5 1,7 2 sec
screen
One of the above AC or DC for one of the given times.

Insulation
resistance
conductor/ ≥ 5000 MΩ·m using test voltage between 100V and
6 IEC 61156-5 6.2.4 X
conductor 500V d.c. at 20°C
and conductor/
screen

Capacitance
7 unbalance pair IEC 61156-5 6.2.6 ≤ 1600 pF/km at a frequency 800Hz or 1000Hz. X X
to ground

For screened cables two grades of transfer impedance

can be chosen

Max. surface transfer impedance

Transfer IEC 61156-5 Frequency MΩ
8 MHz X
impedance 6.2.7
Grade 1 Grade 2

1 10 50

10 10 100

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 No. Test Test basis Requirements TT RT

Section 3
30 30 200

100 100 1000

When measured using absorbing clamp method (IEC

62153-4-5) or the triaxial method (IEC 62153-4-9)
requirements table below shall be fulfilled.

Coupling
Coupling
attenuation Frequency range
attenuation dB
type

Type I 30 to 100 >85

>85-20·log10
Type I 100 to 1000
(f/100)
Coupling IEC 61156-5
9 Type Ib 30 to 100 >70 X
attenuation 6.2.8
>70-20·log10
Type Ib 100 to 1000
(f/100)

Type II 30 to 100 >55

>55-20·log10
Type II 100 to 1000
(f/100)

Type III 30 to 100 >40

>40-20·log10
Type III 100 to 1000
(f/100)

Transmission characteristics

Phase and Phase Delay (ns/100m):

differential
10 IEC 61156-5 6.3.2 a ≤ 534 + 36 / √f X
delay(delay
skew) 4MHz ≤ f ≤ max reference frequency

Differential delay between any two pair:

≤ 25 ns/100 m for cables with designed to be tested for
Differential less than 500 MHz (i.e. cat5e, cat6 and cat6A)
IEC 61156-5
11 delay (delay ≤ 45 ns/100 m for cables with designed to be tested for X
6.3.2.1
skew) frequencies above 500 MHz (i.e. cat7 and cat7A)
Test to be carried out 4MHz ≤ f ≤ max reference
frequency

Max attenuation α in(dB/100m)

α ≤ a · √f + b · f + c / √f,

Cable Frequency Constants

IEC 61156-5 designation range a b c
12 Attenuation X X
6.3.3.1/6.3.3.2
4-
Cat 5e 1,967 0,023 0,10
100MHz

4-
Cat 6 1,820 0,0169 0,25
250MHz

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 No. Test Test basis Requirements TT RT

Section 3
4-
Cat 6A 1,820 0,0091 0,25
500MHz

4-
Cat 7 1,800 0,010 0,20
600MHz

Cat 7A 4-1000MHz1,800 0,005 0,25

Cat5 special consideration:

a:1,910, b:0,0222, c:0,200

Attenuation shall be documented with graphs.

In order to justify marine requirements an ambient
temperature of 45ºC shall be satisfied. To be calculated
according to point 6.3.3.3.

Choose between;
level1: measured TCL ≥ 40,0 – 10 log10(f)
level2: measured TCL ≥ 50,0 – 10 log10(f)
Unbalance Measuring range:
Attenuation 1 – 100 MHz for cat 5e and from
(transverse IEC 61156-5
13 1 – 250 MHz for all other categories. X
conversion 6.3.4
loss; Near End Unbalance Attenuation
TCL) (EL TCL
Measured ELTCL ≥ 35 – 20 × log10 (f),
in the given frequency range of
1 to 30 MHz for all cables

Worst pair PS NEXT shall not be less than;

PSNEXT(f)=PSNEXT(1) - 15·log10 (f)

Cable PSNEXT(1)
Frequency range
designation dB

Cat 5e 4 - 100MHz 62,3

Cat 6 4 - 250MHz 72,3

Power sum Cat 6A 4 - 500MHz 72,3
Near-end IEC 61156-5
14 Cat 7 4 - 600MHz 99,4 X X
Crosstalk 6.3.5
(PS NEXT)
Cat 7A 4 - 1000MHz 102,4

For those frequencies where the calculated value of

PSNEXT(1) is higher than 75dB, the requirement shall
be 75dB.
Pair to pair result shall be at least 3 dB better than the
required results for PS NEXT for any pair.
Values ref 100 m length cable.
Graph showing results to be provided.

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 No. Test Test basis Requirements TT RT

Section 3
Worst pair PS EL FEXT shall not be less than;
PSELFEXT(f ) = PSELFEXT(1) – 20·log10 (f )

Cable PSELFEXT(1)
Frequency range
designation dB

Cat 5e 4 - 100MHz 61,0

Cat 6 4 - 250MHz 65,0

Power sum Cat 6A 4 - 500MHz 65,0
equal level far- IEC 61156-5
15 2) Cat 7 4 - 600MHz 91,0 X
end crosstalk 6.3.6
(ELFEXT)
Cat 7A 4 - 1000MHz 92,3

For those frequencies where the calculated value of

PSELFEXT(1) is higher than 75dB, the requirement shall
be 75dB.
Pair to pair result shall be at least 3 dB better than the
required results for PS EL FEXT for any pair.
Values ref. to 100m length cable.
Graph showing results to be provided.

For type III screened cables.

Cable Return loss

Frequency range MHz
category dB

Alien 92,5–15 × log10

Cat 6A 1 ≤ f ≤ 500
(exogenous) IEC 61156-5 (f)
16 X
near-end cross 6.3.7
talk(ANEXT) 107,5–15 × log10
Cat 7A 1 ≤ f ≤ 1000
(f)

Type I and type II are proven by design, and need not

be tested according to this table.
Max value Cat 6Aand Cat 7A: 67,5 dB

For unscreened cables.

Cable Return loss

Frequency range MHz
category dB

Alien 78,2–20 × log10

Cat 6A 1 ≤ f ≤ 500
(exogenous) IEC 61156-5 (f) X
17
far-end cross 6.3.8
talk (AFEXT) 93,2–20 ×log10
Cat 7A 1 ≤ f ≤ 1000
(f)

Type I and type II are proven by design, and need not

be tested according to this table.
Max value Cat 6A and Cat 7A: 67,5 dB

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 No. Test Test basis Requirements TT RT

Section 3
Chose Case A (Fitted or mean characteristic
impedance):
Item to be measured; return loss to be included:
100 ± 5 Ω, 120 ± 5 Ω, at 100 MHz; f.f.s
Chose Case B (Characteristic impedance):
The impedance measured in accordance with 6.3.10.1.1
of IEC 61156-1 shall fall within the impedance template
limits given based on the two equations below. For the
corresponding cable category, frequency range and
return loss requirement given in Table Return Loss see
18 Impedance IEC 61156-5 6.3.10 X
clause Return Loss
Zu = Z0· (1+|r|) / (1-|r|), upper limit
Zl = Z0· (1-|r|) / (1+|r|), lower limit
r = 10 ^(RL/20), where RL is the return loss, as defined
in next point.
Cables that meet the requirements of case B are not
required to be measured for return loss; alternately
cables that meet the return loss requirements
given in 6.3.11 are not required to be measured for
characteristic impedance.

The return loss for any pair shall not be stated less than

Frequency
Return loss
Cable category range
dB
MHz

4 – 10 20,0 + 5,0·log10
All
(f)

All 10 – 20 25,0

20 – 100 25,0 – 7,0·log10

Cat 5e
(f /20)

20 – 250 25,0 – 7,0·log10

Cat 6
(f /20)
X
19 Return Loss IEC 61156-5 6.3.11 20 – 500 25,0 – 7,0·log10
Cat 6A
(f /20) (*)

20 – 600 25,0 – 7,0·log10

Cat 7
(f /20) (*)

20 – 600 25,0 – 7,0·log10

Cat 7A
(f /20) (*)

600 – 17,3 – 10·log10

1000 (f /600)

(*) calculated values below 17,3 dB revert to a 17,3 dB

plateau.
This item may be left out if Case B Characteristic
impedance is tested.
Graph showing results to be provided.

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 No. Test Test basis Requirements TT RT

Section 3
Mechanical properties

Conductor IEC 61156-5 ≥8% for IEC req

elongation at 6.4.2 ≥10% for EN req
20 break X
EN 50288-1
EN 50289-3-2
5.2.1

Shrinkage of ≥5%, tested at 100ºC±2 for 1 h. Length of sample sahll

IEC 61156-5
21 insulation be more than 150mm , shrink back to be measured as X
6.5.1
EN 50289-3-4 the sum from both ends.

Crush IEC 61156-1 & -5 Minimum force 1000N for 1 min with a 100 mm area.
resistance of 6.4.8/ Return Loss and Characteristic Impedance shall remain
22 the cable within the specified limits X
IEC 62012-1
EN 50289-3-5
3.3.6

Impact IEC 61156-1 12.5mm radius/1J/3 impacts at 1m from the measured

resistance of 6.4.9 end.
23 the cable Return Loss and Characteristic Impedance shall remain X
IEC 60811-1-4
EN 50289-3-6 within the specified limits
8.5

Abrasion Marking shall be legible.

resistance of
24 IEC 61156-5 X
the sheath
markings

Single bend Single Bend

test U bend 4xdia/10 turns/2 cycles
test IEC 61156-1
25 Near end Crosstalk, Return Loss and Characteristic X
6.4.10.3.1
Impedance and Coupling Attenuation (u/c) shall remain
within the specified limits

Simulated “S” Bend

EN 50288-1 5.2.6.2
installation 8xdia/100m/1 cycle/120 deg/1 m/s
IEC61156-1
26 testing of the X
Near end Crosstalk, Return Loss and Characteristic
cable EN 50289-3-9
Impedance and Coupling Attenuation (u/c) shall remain
Clause 8
within the specified limits

Tensile Load shall be 25N per pair (i.e.100N 4 Pair).

performance Near end Crosstalk, Return Loss and Characteristic
EN 50288-1
27 EN 50289-3-16 Impedance and Coupling Attenuation (u/c) shall remain X
5.2.7
Combined with within the specified limits
5.2.6

Test for flame All cables installed in ships shall be tested according to
propagation for IEC-60322-1 minimum flame-retardant requirements
28 a single small IEC 60332-1 X
insulated wire
or cable

Optional tests

Mutual
29 IEC 61156-5 6.2.5 According to datasheet X X
capacitance

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 No. Test Test basis Requirements TT RT

Section 3
Current
30 carrying IEC 61156-5 6.2.9 According to datasheet
capacity

Velocity of
31 IEC 61156-5 6.3.1 According to datasheet
propagation

Mandrel diameter 8 X OD,

Cold bend No of turns: 4, Temp -20˚C±2˚C
performance of
32 EN 50288-1 5.3.1 No cracks when examined visually without X
the cable
magnification –
EN 50289-3-9
minimum installation temperature to be given.

Bending under
33 According to specification. X
tension

Tensile
IEC 61156-5&-1
34 strength of According to specification. X
6.4.3
insulation

Ozone IEC 60092-350 IEC

35 For SHF2 only X
resistance 60811-2-1

Test for flame

propagation for
IEC 60332-2-1,
36 a single small X
IEC 60332-2-2
insulated wire
or cable

Test for flame

propagation
37 IEC 60332-3-10, X
bunched wires
or cables

Flame
retardance test IEC 60332-3-24 or
38 X
on bunched IEC 60332-3-25
wires or cables

Test on gases
evolved during IEC60754-1 is considered to be Low Halogen content.
IEC 60754-1 or
39 combustion of IEC60754-2 is considered to be Halogen free X
IEC 60754-2
materials from All non-metallic materials in cable shall be tested.
cables

Measurement
of smoke
density of IEC 61034-1,
40 X
cables burning IEC 61034-2
under defined
conditions

TT = Type Test
RT = Routine Test

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