Guidance on the validity of radio communication equipment installed and used on board ships

28 February 2017 |  C17012

Following Dromon Circular C16030 and since IMO has revised MSC.1/Circ.1460, this circular contains updates on the radiocommunication equipment.

NOTICE TO
Ship Owners / Managers / Operators  |  Surveyors

The Maritime Safety Committee, at its 97th session, while noting that a revision of the MSC.1/Circ.1460 was anticipated in parallel with the upcoming revision of SOLAS Ch. IV, agreed to amend the date from January 01, 2017 to January 01, 2024, with the intention of avoiding any unnecessary updates of HF radiocommunication equipment that is already capable of operating narrow band direct printing (NBDP).

To ensure GMDSS communication capability, HF radiocommunication equipment capable of operating narrow-band direct printing (NBDP) should be updated so that, following the first radio survey after January 01, 2024 it meets the channeling arrangements reflected in sections II and III of Part B in appendix 17 of the RR.

Radiocommunication equipment, other than HF radiocommunication equipment capable of operating NBDP, does not necessarily need to be updated by the first radio survey after January 01, 2017, but may be updated appropriately in accordance with the decisions of each Administration.

Act now

Ship owners / Managers / Operators of vessels equipped with HF NBDP equipment must ensure it is HF direct-printing telegraphy compliant in time for the first safety radio survey after January 01, 2024, while vessels equipped with very high frequency (VHF) radiocommunication equipment must be updated by the first radio survey after January 01, 2017.