1.1.1 The International Maritime Organisation
recognizes that there is increasing interest within the marine industry
to use materials other than steel for pipes and that there are no
specific requirements for plastic pipes in existing regulations.
1.1.2 These guidelines provide acceptance criteria
for plastic materials in piping systems to assist Maritime Administrations
to determine, in a rational and uniform way, the permitted applications
for such materials. These guidelines give appropriate design and installation
requirements and, for each application, fire testing performance criteria
necessary to ensure that vessel safety is adequately addressed.
1.1.3 Within the framework of these guidelines,
there is freedom to permit development of international and national
standards, and allow the natural development of emerging technology.