The Merchant Shipping (Radio Installations) Regulations 1992

Additional radio equipment to be provided for area A1 ships

9.—(1) In addition to meeting the requirements of regulation 8, every A1 area ship shall be provided with a radio installation capable of initiating the transmission of ship-to-shore distress alerts by operation from the position from which the ship is normally navigated, operating either—

(a) on VHF using DSC; this requirement may be fulfilled by the VHF EPIRB required by paragraph (3) of this regulation if it is installed close to, or capable of remote activation from, the position from which the ship is normally navigated; or

(b) through the polar orbiting satellite service on 406 MHz; this requirement may be fulfilled by the satellite EPIRB, required by regulation 8(1)(f) if it is installed close to, or capable of remote activation from, the position from which the ship is normally navigated; or

(c) if the ship is at sea within coverage of MF coast stations equipped with DSC, on MF using DSC; or

(d) on HF using DSC; or

(e) through the INMARSAT geostationary satellite service; this requirement may be fulfilled by—

(i) an INMARSAT ship earth station; or

(ii) the satellite EPIRB, required by regulation 8(1)(f) if it is installed close to, or capable of remote activation from, the position from which the ship is normally navigated.

(2) The VHF radio installation, required by regulation 8(1)(a) shall also be capable of transmitting and receiving general radio communications using radiotelephony.

(3) Area A1 ships may, in lieu of being provided with the satellite EPIRB required by regulation 8(1)(f), be provided with an EPIRB which is—

(a) capable of transmitting a distress alert using DSC on VHF channel 70 and providing for locating by means of a radar transponder operating in the 9 GHz band;

(b) installed in an easily accessible position;

(c) ready to be manually released and capable of being carried by one person into a survival craft;

(d) capable of floating free if the ship sinks and being automatically activated when afloat; and

(e) capable of being activated manually.