ISO 21319:2026

Marine technology — Toolings for submersibles — Technology requirements

This document specifies the classification, general requirements, design requirements, general characteristics, general testing and inspection methods for submersible toolings. This document applies to the design, manufacture, inspection, and post-acceptance of submersible toolings.

Technologie maritime — Outillages pour les submersibles — Exigences technologiques

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 28-Apr-2026
• ICS: 47.020.01 - General standards related to shipbuilding and marine structures
• ICS: 47.080 - Small craft
• Technical Committee: ISO/TC 8/SC 13 - Marine technology
• Drafting Committee: ISO/TC 8/SC 13 - Marine technology
• Current Stage: 6060 - International Standard published
• Start Date: 29-Apr-2026
• Due Date: 27-Jul-2026
• Completion Date: 29-Apr-2026

Overview

ISO 21319: Marine technology - Toolings for submersibles - Technology requirements establishes international guidelines for the classification, general and design requirements, and overall characteristics of tools and toolings used with submersibles. This standard also covers generic test and inspection methods for submersible toolings, supporting safety, interoperability, and reliability in underwater operations. ISO 21319 applies to the design, manufacture, inspection, and post-acceptance processes for submersible-related tooling across a range of marine technology applications.

Key Topics

• Tooling Classification
  Defines basic categories for submersible toolings:

  • General manipulators
  • Manipulator-held toolings
  • Portable operating toolings
  • Tooling deployment units

• General Requirements
  Provides installation, interface, dimensional, and functional requirements, ensuring that tooling is compatible with both crewed and uncrewed submersible systems.

• Design Requirements
  Covers essential considerations such as:

  • Design for pressure boundaries and sealing mechanisms
  • Structural reliability under internal and external pressure
  • Methods for tool jettisoning, supporting safe emergency procedures

• Testing and Inspection
  Establishes standard procedures for:

  • Hydrostatic pressure testing
  • Equipment functionality tests
  • Operational performance evaluation of submersible toolings

Applications

ISO 21319 is crucial for organizations involved in the production, operation, or maintenance of submersible technology. Practical applications include:

• Research Submersibles
  Ensuring scientific sampling tools, manipulators, and deployment systems are safe and standardized for deep-sea research missions.

• Underwater Rescue and Salvage
  Providing tool classification and performance requirements for emergency equipment, such as claws, cutters, and rescue manipulators.

• Oil, Gas, and Offshore Industries
  Supporting safe installation, operation, and maintenance of specialized toolings in underwater resource extraction and infrastructure maintenance.

• Environmental Monitoring
  Enabling standardization of sampling and measuring tools for submersibles engaged in ecological studies and underwater surveys.

By adhering to ISO 21319, manufacturers and operators can consistently deliver reliable, interoperable toolings that integrate seamlessly with submersible platforms. This not only enhances mission efficiency but also contributes to international harmonization in the field of marine technology.

Related Standards

Organizations working with submersible technology and underwater tooling may also reference closely aligned ISO and IEC standards, including:

• ISO 13628: Petroleum and natural gas industries - Design and operation of subsea production systems
• ISO 13623: Petroleum and natural gas industries - Pipeline transportation systems
• ISO 19901 Series: Offshore structures - Overall design and structural requirements
• IEC Electropedia & ISO OBP: Online databases for definitions and standardized terminology

For the integration of electrical, communication, and hydraulic interfaces, as highlighted in ISO 21319, related IEC marine technology standards and ISO/TC 8 guidelines may also be relevant.

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By following ISO 21319, marine technology organizations can ensure enhanced safety, performance, and reliability in underwater operations, promoting best practices and alignment with global standards for submersible tooling.

Standards Content (Sample)

International
Standard
ISO 21319
First edition
Marine technology — Toolings
2026-04
for submersibles — Technology
requirements
Technologie maritime — Outillages pour les submersibles —
Exigences technologiques
Reference number
© ISO 2026
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on
the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below
or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
Phone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
ii
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Tooling classification . 2
5 General requirements . 2
5.1 Installation .2
5.2 Interface .2
5.2.1 Installation position .2
5.2.2 Electrical interface .2
5.2.3 Communication interface .3
5.2.4 Hydraulic interface .3
5.3 Dimensional .3
5.4 Function .4
5.4.1 General manipulator .4
5.4.2 Manipulator-held toolings . . .4
5.4.3 Portable operating toolings .5
5.4.4 Tooling deployment unit .5
6 Design requirements . 6
6.1 Design for pressure boundary .6
6.1.1 Design for internal external pressure .6
6.1.2 Oil-filled compensation structure .6
6.2 Seal design .7
6.3 Tool jettisoning functions .7
7 General testing . 7
7.1 Hydrostatic pressure test .7
7.1.1 Test content .7
7.1.2 Recommended test procedure .7
7.1.3 Functional test.8
7.1.4 Result evaluation .9
7.2 Equipment testing .9
7.3 Recommended operational test .9
Bibliography .10

iii
Foreword
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The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are described
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of ISO document should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the editorial rules of the
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This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 8, Ships and marine technology, Subcommittee
SC 13, Marine technology.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html.

iv
Introduction
This document specifies the general requirements for toolings used with submersibles, including
requirements for their functionality, installation, interfaces, weight, and dimensions. It also covers tool
design requirements, general performance requirements, general testing and inspection methods. The
purpose of this document is to establish unified common requirements, thereby ensuring that the basic
requirements for toolings installed on submersibles are consistently maintained on a global scale.

v
International Standard ISO 21319:2026(en)
Marine technology — Toolings for submersibles —
Technology requirements
1 Scope
This document specifies the classification, general requirements, design requirements, general
characteristics, general testing and inspection methods for submersible toolings.
This document applies to the design, manufacture, inspection, and post-acceptance of submersible toolings.
2 Normative references
There are no normative references in this document.
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at https:// www .electropedia .org/
3.1
submersible
type of powered vessel that can travel or manoeuvre underwater, or both
3.2
tooling
types of devices, equipment and combinations of tools involved in underwater sampling, rescue, scientific
experiments and special operations carried out on a submersible (3.1)
3.3
manipulator
device having one or more degrees of freedom for grasping or carrying objects or toolings by remote control
or by a fixed procedure
Note 1 to entry: The maximum working depth is expressed in metres.
3.4
maximum working pressure
p
maximum pressure in which a system (pressure vessel, supporting controls, and instrumentation) is
operated
3.5
test pressure
p
t
specified amount of pressure applied during a test of a submersible’s structural integrity

4 Tooling classification
It is recommended that toolings used with submersibles be classified into the following categories based on
their application purposes:
a) general manipulator;
b) manipulator-held toolings;
c) portable operating toolings;
d) tool deployment unit.
5 General requirements
5.1 Installation
1)
The following installation requirements for toolings of human-occupied submersibles shall apply.
a) The manipulator shall generally be installed on the bottom frame structure at the forward part of the
bow. It shall be arranged within the field of view of personnel in the human-occupied cabin, or mounted
at a position equipped with a camera.
b) Other toolings shall be centrally installed on the sampling basket; this arrangement shall facilitate
monitoring and operation by personnel.
c) The manipulator for non-human-occupied submersibles shall generally be installed on the bow frame
structure.
d) Other toolings for non-human-occupied submersibles shall be installed within the range of video
surveillance; generally, no dedicated sampling basket is required.
5.2 Interface
5.2.1 Installation position
The following installation position requirements for toolings of human-occupied submersibles shall apply.
a) The connection interface between the toolings and the human-occupied submersible shall reserve
sufficient operating space to facilitate routine maintenance and disassembly operations.
b) When the metal materials of the installation contact surfaces between the toolings and the human-
occupied submersible are inconsistent, isolation measures shall be adopted to mitigate electrochemical
corrosion.
c) During installation of the toolings, fasteners shall be equipped with necessary anti-loosening measures.
d) For vibration-generating toolings, vibration isolation measures shall be considered at their connection
positions; additionally, the reliability of the connections shall be enhanced to prevent slippage.
5.2.2 Electrical interface
The following electrical interface requirements for toolings of human-occupied submersibles shall apply.
a) The toolings shall ensure that their electrical interfaces are compatible with those of the human-
occupied submersible.
1) This document uses the inclusive terms "human-occupied submersible" and "non-human-occupied submersible" in
place of the terms "manned submersible" and "unmanned submersible".

b) The watertight electrical connecto
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