diff --git a/src/grib_bits_any_endian_vector.c b/src/grib_bits_any_endian_vector.c
index f8e29af79..01ca02c47 100644
--- a/src/grib_bits_any_endian_vector.c
+++ b/src/grib_bits_any_endian_vector.c
@@ -10,16 +10,15 @@
 
 /***************************************************************************
  *   Enrico Fucile  - 19.06.2007                                           *
- *   EXPERIMENTAL CODE - NOT FULLY TESTED                                  *
+ *                                                                         *
  ***************************************************************************/
-
 int grib_decode_long_array(const unsigned char* p, long* bitp, long bitsPerValue,
                            size_t n_vals, long* val)
 {
     long i               = 0;
     unsigned long lvalue = 0;
 
-    /* SUP-3196: Thanks to Daniel Tameling */
+    /* if (bitsPerValue % 8) { */
     if (bitsPerValue % 8 || (*bitp & 7)) {
         int j = 0;
         for (i = 0; i < n_vals; i++) {
@@ -55,6 +54,7 @@ int grib_decode_long_array(const unsigned char* p, long* bitp, long bitsPerValue
     return 0;
 }
 
+
 int grib_decode_double_array(const unsigned char* p, long* bitp, long bitsPerValue,
                              double reference_value, double s, double d,
                              size_t n_vals, double* val)
@@ -96,14 +96,12 @@ int grib_decode_double_array(const unsigned char* p, long* bitp, long bitsPerVal
     return 0;
 }
 
-int grib_decode_double_array_complex(const unsigned char* p, long* bitp, long nbits, double reference_value,
-                                     double s, double* d, size_t size, double* val)
+int grib_decode_double_array_complex(const unsigned char* p, long* bitp, long nbits, double reference_value, double s, double* d, size_t size, double* val)
 {
     return GRIB_NOT_IMPLEMENTED;
 }
 
-int grib_encode_double_array(size_t n_vals, const double* val, long bits_per_value, double reference_value,
-                             double d, double divisor, unsigned char* p, long* off)
+int grib_encode_double_array(size_t n_vals, const double* val, long bits_per_value, double reference_value, double d, double divisor, unsigned char* p, long* off)
 {
     size_t i                   = 0;
     unsigned long unsigned_val = 0;
@@ -115,17 +113,50 @@ int grib_encode_double_array(size_t n_vals, const double* val, long bits_per_val
         }
     }
     else {
-        for (i = 0; i < n_vals; i++) {
-            int blen     = 0;
-            blen         = bits_per_value;
-            unsigned_val = (unsigned long)((((val[i] * d) - reference_value) * divisor) + 0.5);
-            while (blen >= 8) {
-                blen -= 8;
-                *encoded = (unsigned_val >> blen);
-                encoded++;
-                *off += 8;
-            }
+      if (bits_per_value == 16 && !((uint64_t)p&3)) {
+        uint32_t *encoded4byte = (uint32_t *) p;
+        uint32_t tmp;
+        unsigned long unsigned_val2 = 0;
+        for(i = 0; i < n_vals - 1; i+=2){
+          unsigned_val  = (unsigned long)((((val[i]*d)-reference_value)*divisor)+0.5);
+          unsigned_val2 = (unsigned long)((((val[i+1]*d)-reference_value)*divisor)+0.5);
+          tmp = (unsigned_val2 & 0xff);
+          tmp = (tmp << 8) + (unsigned_val2 >> 8 & 0xff);
+          tmp = (tmp << 8) + (unsigned_val  & 0xff);
+          tmp = (tmp << 8) + ((unsigned_val >> 8) & 0xff);
+          *encoded4byte = tmp;
+          encoded4byte++;
+          *off+=32;
         }
+        /* remainder */
+        if (n_vals % 2) {
+          int blen     = 0;
+          i            = n_vals-1;
+          encoded      = (unsigned char *) encoded4byte;
+          blen         = bits_per_value;
+          unsigned_val = (unsigned long)((((val[i]*d)-reference_value)*divisor)+0.5);
+          while(blen >= 8)
+          {
+            blen   -= 8;
+            *encoded = (unsigned_val >> blen);
+            encoded++;
+            *off+=8;
+          }
+        }
+      } 
+      else {
+        for (i = 0; i < n_vals; i++) {
+          int blen     = 0;
+          blen         = bits_per_value;
+          unsigned_val = (unsigned long)((((val[i] * d) - reference_value) * divisor) + 0.5);
+          while (blen >= 8) {
+            blen -= 8;
+            *encoded = (unsigned_val >> blen);
+            encoded++;
+            *off += 8;
+          }
+        }
+      }
     }
     return GRIB_SUCCESS;
 }