The Merchant Shipping (Radio Installations) Regulations 1992

Radiotelephone operators

34.—(1) Every radiotelephone ship which is fitted with a radiotelephone station in accordance with this Part shall carry the number of radiotelephone operators specified in paragraph (2) of this regulation. If he is the holder for the time being of a valid certificate for radiotelephony, the master, an officer or a member of the crew may be a radiotelephone operator.

(2) The specified number of radiotelephone operators shallbe—

(a) ships of 300 tons and more, but less than 500 tons — at least one operator;

(b) ships of 500 tons and more, but less than 1,600 tons — at least two operators; provided that if a ship carries one radiotelephone operator exclusively employed for duties related to radiotelephony, it shall not be necessary to carry a second radiotelephone operator.

(3) For the purposes of these Regulations no person shall be qualified to be a radiotelephone operator on board a United Kingdom ship unless he is the holder of—

(a) a valid certificate of competency in radiotelephony or radiotelegraphy issued by the Secretary of State or by an authority empowered in that behalf by the laws of some part of the Commonwealth or a member State and recognised by the Secretary of State as the equivalent of such a certificate; and

(b) authority granted by the Secretary of State under section 7 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949(1) to operate a radiotelegraph station or a radiotelephone station established in a ship under a licence issued by him sub-paragraph (a) issued on or after 28th April 1984 shall not be so qualified unless he is in addition the holder of a valid certificate issued by the Secretary of State or a person authorised by him stating that the holder has satisfied the additional knowledge and training requirements set out in Schedule 7 to these Regulations or a document recognised by the Secretary of State as the equivalent of such a certificate and issued by an authority empowered in that behalf by the laws in some part of the Commonwealth or a member State.

(4) For the purposes of this Part no person shall be deemed to be a radiotelephone operator onboard a ship registered in a country other than the United Kingdom unless he holds a valid certificate of competency in radiotelephony or radiotelegraphy issued by an authority empowered or recognised in that behalf by the law of the country in which the ship is registered and issued in accordance with the Radio Regulations.

(1)

1949 c. 54.