Guidelines for ensuring the availability of radio equipment for
ships engaged on voyages in sea areas A3 and A4 required by
regulation IV/15.7 of the SOLAS Convention, as amended in
1988
1 - Basic requirement for ensuring availability
1.1 Irrespective of the methods used to ensure the availability of
the functional requirements specified in regulation IV/4, and as
specified in regulation IV/15.8, a ship should not depart from any port
unless and until the ship is capable of performing all distress and
safety functions, as set out in regulation IV/4.
1.2 Irrespective of the methods used by the ship, all
manufacturers' instruction manuals and maintenance manuals for each
piece of equipment required and installed should be available on board.
Adequate tools, spare parts and test equipment appropriate to the
methods used by the ship, as specified by the Administration, should be
provided. The manuals, tools, spare parts and test equipment, as
applicable, should be readily accessible.
2 - Duplication of equipment for ensuring availability
2.1 If availability is ensured by using a combination
of methods which includes duplication of equipment, in addition to the
radio installations required by regulations IV/7, IV/10 and IV/11, as
appropriate, the following radio installations complying with regulation
IV/14 should be available on board ships engaged on voyages in:
- sea area A3 - a VHF radio installation complying with the
requirements of regulation IV/7.1.1 and either an MF/HF radio
installation complying with the requirements of regulation IV/10.2.1
and being able to comply fully with the watch requirements of
IV/12.1.3 or an INMARSAT ship earth station (SES) complying with the
requirements of regulation IV/10.l.l. The MF/HF installation or
INMARSAT SES installed for duplication should also comply with
regulation IV/10.3;
- sea areas A3 and A4 - a VHF radio installation complying with the
requirements of regulation IV/7.1.1 and an MF/HF radio installation
complying with the requirements of regulation IV/10.2.1 and being
able to comply fully with the watch requirements of IV/12.1.3. Ships
operating in sea area A4 only occasionally and having originally
installed an MF/HF radio installation, may, instead of the
additional MF/HF radio installation, install an INMARSAT SES
complying with the requirements of regulation IV/10.1.1. The MF/HF
radio installation or INMARSAT SES installed for duplication should
also comply with regulation V/10.3.
2.2 The additional radio installations specified in 2.1.1 and
2.1.2 of these Guidelines should each be connected to a separate antenna
and be installed and ready for immediate operation.
2.3 It should be possible to connect the additional radio
installations specified in 2.1.1 and 2.1.2 (hereinafter referred to as
duplicated equipment) to the reserve source or sources of energy
required by regulation IV/13.2, in addition to the appropriate radio
equipment specified in that regulation (hereinafter referred to as basic
equipment). The capacity of the reserve source or sources of energy
should be sufficient to operate the particular installation (i.e. the
basic equipment or the duplicated equipment) with the highest power
consumption, for the appropriate period specified in regulation
IV/13.2.1 to IV/13.2.3. However, the arrangement for the reserve source
or sources of energy should be such that a single fault in this
arrangement should not be able to affect both the basic and the
duplicated equipment.
3 - Shore-based maintenance for ensuring availability
3.1 If availability is ensured by using a combination of methods
which includes shore-based maintenance, an arrangement acceptable to the
Administration should be established to ensure adequate support of the
ship for the maintenance and repair of its radio installations. For
example, the following arrangements, among others, may be suitable:
- an agreement with a company known to cover the trading area of the
ship to provide maintenance and repair facilities on a call-out
basis;
- provision of facilities at the main base of ships engaged on a
regular trading pattern. Records of Equipment (Form P, R or C)
should include an indication of the types of arrangements for
shore-based maintenance.
3.2 It should be recognized that, despite the use of other
methods, some reliance on shore-based maintenance to ensure the
availability of the functional requirements of the GMDSS will always be
necessary.
4 - At-Sea electronic maintenance capability for ensuring
availability
4.1 If availability is ensured by using a combination of methods
which includes at-sea electronic maintenance capability, adequate
additional technical documentation, tools, test equipment and spare
parts must be carried on board in order to enable the maintainer to
perform tests and localize and repair faults in the radio equipment. The
extent of this additional technical documentation, tools, measuring
equipment and spare parts to be carried on board should be consistent
with the equipment installed and should be approved by the
Administration. An indication of such approval should be entered in the
Records of Equipment (Form P, R or C).
4.2 The person designated to perform functions for at-sea
electronic maintenance should either hold an appropriate certificate as
specified by the Radio Regulations, as required, or have equivalent
at-sea electronic maintenance qualifications, as may be approved by the
Administration, taking into account the recommendations* of the
Organization on the training of such personnel.
* Refer to Assembly resolution A.703(17), "Training of radio personnel in
the global maritime distress and safety system (GMDSS)".