IP Ratings
are Internationally accepted standards that are used to designate an
 object's resistance to ingress of foreign materials such as water.

So, equipment with an IP Rating of IP 56 is protected against dust penetration (5) and strong jets of water(6)

Just what is required for the marine enviroment

	First Digit Solid Object Ingress	Second Digit Liquid Ingress
0	No Protection	No Protection
1	Protected against solid objects over 50mm. eg Hands	Protected against vertically falling drops of water
2	Protected against solid objects over 12mm. eg Fingers	Protected against directed sprays of water up to 15 Deg from vertical
3	Protected against solid objects over 2.5mm. eg Tools	Protected against sprays of up to 60 Deg from vertical
4	Protected against solid objects over 1mm. eg Wires, Tools	Protected against water sprayed from all directions limited penetration permitted
5	Protected against dust limited penetration permitted (no harmfull deposits)	Protected against low presure jets of water fron all directions limited penetration permitted
6	Totally proctected against dust ie sealed	Protected against strong jets of water limited penetration permitted eg MARINE enviroment
7		Protected against effects of immersion between 150mm and 1 metre
8		Protected against effects of continuous submersion at a specified depth

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