IEC and ISO Agree on Unified 22 kW Shore-Power Connector for Leisure Boats

A joint working group of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has published a final draft standard for a single 22 kW, three-phase, 32 A shore-power connector for leisure vessels up to 24 metres. The standard, expected to be formally adopted by year-end, resolves the long-standing incompatibility between European CEE 32 A plugs, American NEMA twist-lock variants, and several proprietary marina systems.

The ratified connector uses a weatherproof IP67 housing with a quarter-turn locking mechanism and an integrated ground-fault pilot signal. Marinas that install the new standard will be able to serve any compliant vessel regardless of flag state, removing a practical barrier that has slowed marina electrification in the Mediterranean and Caribbean.

For boat owners sizing a new electric installation, the standard also clarifies on-board charger specifications. A 22 kW charger drawing 32 A per phase on a 400 V three-phase supply can charge a 24 kWh pack from 20% to 80% in under one hour — a charging speed that makes short-hop marina-to-marina passages genuinely practical for most coastal sailors.

Manufacturers including Mastervolt, Victron, and Webasto have already pledged compliance, with retrofit adapter kits expected to follow within 12 months of final publication.