These Regulations revoke and replace, with amendments, the Merchant Shipping (Radio Installations) Regulations 1992.

They give effect to Chapter IV of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea 1974 (SOLAS), including amendments adopted by states party to that Convention at a Conference on the Global Maritime Distress and Safety Systems (GMDSS) on 11 November 1988 and at Conferences on 11 December 1992 and 29 November 1995. GMDSS is the International Maritime Organisation’s world-wide network of automated emergency communications for vessels at sea.

In addition to minor drafting amendments, the changes of substance to the 1992 Regulations require that ships of Class I, II or II(A) have a distress panel on board located at the conning position (regulation 10), that means be provided for two-way on-scene radio communications for search and rescue purposes (regulation 11(4)) and that at least one person qualified for distress and safety radio communications be assigned to perform only radio communication duties during distress incidents (regulation 19(2)(a)).

Part II contains the GMDSS provisions. It requires new ships to carry new types of radio equipment including equipment for satellite communication, emergency radio beacons (EPIRBs) and other items. The carriage requirements depend on the ship’s area of operations. For this purpose the world is divided up under the GMDSS into four sea areas: area A1 which is within range of VHF coastal radio; area A2 which is within range of MF coastal radio; area A3 which is within coverage of geostationary satellites; and area A4 which covers the remainder of the world. The requirements for maintenance of the equipment carried permit some flexibility: maintenance may be achieved by duplication of equipment by shore-based maintenance or by an at-sea maintenance capability.

A compliance cost assessment has been produced and a copy laid in the library of each House of Parliament. Copies may be obtained from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Spring Place, 105 Commercial Road, Southampton SO15 1EG (telephone: 01703 329134).

Copies of SOLAS may be obtained from the International Maritime Organisation, 4 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7SR. Merchant Shipping Notices may be obtained from Eros Marketing Support Services, Unit B, Imber Court Trading Estate, Orchard Lane, East Molesey, Surrey KT8 0BN (telephone number 0181 957 5028).