NORMAM-223 Offshore Helideck Regulation (Brazil) – Overview and Official Documents

What is NORMAM-223?

NORMAM-223 offshore helideck regulation (NORMAM-223/DPC) is the Brazilian Maritime Authority standard covering the certification and registration of helidecks on vessels and offshore platforms operating in Águas Jurisdicionais Brasileiras (AJB).

In industry discussions, you may still hear this topic referred to under the older shorthand “NORMAM 27”.

Today, NORMAM-223 is the standard used for helideck certification/registration and related operational requirements in Brazil.

What does the standard cover (at a high level)?

NORMAM-223 is structured across chapters that span the helideck lifecycle and operations. It includes chapters covering areas such as:

• Registration and certification, design, and physical characteristics
• Visual aids, operational procedures, and communications/navigation expectations

HMS requirement (in brief)

NORMAM-223 states that every ETEX M unit must have a Helideck Monitoring System (HMS). The HMS is described as equipment providing wind, temperature and helideck motion information, supported by data storage, reporting tools and critical alarms to help safe air operations.

Helideck audio/video monitoring (brief note)

NORMAM-223 also includes operational checks for video, audio, and data recording associated with the HMS, including verification of recordings prior to air operations..

Using NORMAM-223 in practice

Operators typically use NORMAM-223 as the baseline reference when confirming helideck certification and operational requirements for Brazil, alongside any supporting aviation procedures relevant to the aircraft/operator.

Where to check the official standard

The best reference is the official NORMAM-223/DPC publication from the Brazilian authority. The document includes its own revision/substitution notes—use those to confirm you’re working from the correct version.