S.I. No. 281/1985:

MERCHANT SHIPPING (RADIO INSTALLATIONS) (AMENDMENT No. 2) RULES, 1985.

MERCHANT SHIPPING (RADIO INSTALLATIONS) (AMENDMENT No. 2) RULES, 1985.

I, JAMES MITCHELL, Minister for Communications, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 15 of the Merchant Shipping (Safety Convention) Act, 1952 (No. 29 of 1952) (as amended by sections 11 and 12 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1966 (No. 20 of 1966), and the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act, 1983 (No. 40 of 1983) hereby make the following Rules:--

1. These Rules may be cited as the Merchant Shipping (Radio Installations) (Amendment No. 2) Rules, 1985, and shall come into operation on the 16th day of September, 1985.

2. The Merchant Shipping (Radio Installations) Rules, 1983 ( S.I. No. 308 of 1983 ), are hereby amended by--

(a) the insertion in Rule 1 (2) of the following definition for the definition of "tons"

" "tons" means gross tonnage and shall be

(a) for a ship having alternative gross tonnages under paragraph 12 of the Fourth Schedule to the Merchant Shipping (Tonnage) Regulations, 1984, (S.I. 369 of 1984). the larger of those tonnages, and

(b) For a ship having its tonnage determined both under Part II and Regulation 16 of the Merchant Shipping (Tonnage) Regulations, 1984, its gross tonnage as determined under Regulation 16."

(b) the insertion in Rule 3 of the following paragraph--

"2 (A) Every cargo ship of 300 tons or more and every passenger ship shall, in addition, be provided with a VHF radiotelephone which shall include a transmitter and receiver."

( c ) the insertion after the words "radiotelephone installation" in Rule 6 (3) (a) (1) of the words "or VHF radiotelephone installation."

(d) the insertion in Rule 12 (i) of the following paragraph--

"(d) where the source of energy is also used by the VHF radiotelephone installation, the current consumption of the VHF radiotelephone receiver and one fifth of the current consumption of the VHF radiotelephone transmitter."

(e) the insertion in Rule 12 (3) of the following paragraph--

"(f) the VHF installation."

(f) the insertion in Rule 20 (3) of the following paragraph--

"(e) shall, where the VHF radio installation is capable of being connected to the reserve source of energy, be of sufficient capacity to operate simultaneously the reserve radiotelegraph transmitter and the VHF radio installation unless means are provided to ensure that such simultaneous operation is not possible and for the purposes of these Rules, the current consumption of the VHF radio installation shall be a total current equal to the sum of the current consumption of the VHF radiotelephone receiver and one fifth of the current consumption of the VHF radiotelephone transmitter,"

(g) the insertion in Rule 20(4) of the following paragraph--

"(f) the VHF installation;"

(h) the insertion after Rule 15 of the following--

"Part II A

VHF Radiotelephony

VHF radiotelephone station

15(A) (1) The VHF radiotelephone installation shall be in the upper part of the ship and control of the VHF channels shall be immediately available on the bridge convenient to the place from which the ship is normally navigated.

(2) A card of instructions giving a clear summary of the distress, urgency and safety procedures shall be displayed at each VHF operating position.

(3) On radiotelegraph ships registered in the State, means shall be provided in new installations to enable reception by the VHF radiotelephone installation to be monitored in the radio room during distress incidents.

Provisions of antennae

15 (B) Every ship to which these Rules apply shall be provided with antennae suitable for the efficient ratiation and reception of signals in the band 156.025 - 162.025 Mhz and the antennae shall be vertically polarised and, so far as practicable, have an unobstructed view in all directions.

Supply of electrical energy

15 (C) (1) At all times while a ship to which these Rules apply is at sea and at all reasonable times when she is in port, there shall be available a source of energy sufficient to operate the VHF radiotelephone installation at its nominal rated output power; if batteries are provided they shall have sufficient capacity and shall be maintained at all times while at sea in such condition as to be able to supply continuously for at least six hours a total current equal to the sum of:--

(a) the current consumption of the VHF telephone receiver;

(b) one fifth of the current consumption of the VHF radiotelephone transmitter.

(2) In respect of new installations in cargo ships registered in the State of 300 tons and more but less than 500 tons, new and existing installations in all cargo ships of 500 tons and more, and in passenger ships, it shall be possible to operate the VHF radiotelephone installation from an alternative source of electrical energy situated in the upper part of the ship unless the source of energy required by paragraph (1) of this Rule is situated there and the source of energy in the upper part of the ship may be the reserve source of energy required by Rule 12(2) or Rule 20(2) of these Rules, in which case the VHF usage of such reserve source of energy shall be limited to distress, urgency and safety communications.

(3) Where provision is made for operating the VHF radiotelephone installation from alternative sources of electrical energy, means shall be provided for rapidly changing from one source of energy to the other.

Radiotelephone operators using the VHF radiotelephone installation.

15 (D) Every radiotelephone operator using the VHF radiotelephone installation shall have practical knowledge of operating the VHF equipment and general knowledge of the Radio Regulations applying to VHF radiotelephone communications and specifically of that part of those Regulations relating to distress signals and traffic, alarm, urgency and safety signals.

VHF Radio watch

15 (E) (1) Each ship which is fitted with a VHF radiotelephone installation in accordance with these Rules, shall, while at sea, maintain a continuous listening watch on the navigating bridge on 156.8 Mhz (VHF Channel 16).

(2) This listening watch may be discontinued:--

(a) when the receiver is being used for traffic on a frequency other than 156.8 Mhz.

(b) When the vessel is maintaining a watch on a frequency other than 156.8 Mhz for the purpose of a port operation, ship movement or safety of navigation service;

(c) when, on the direction of the master, the watch is being maintained elsewhere in the ship;

(d) when, in the opinion of the master, the watch is prejudicial to the safety of the ship.

(3) Where the listening watch is discontinued pursuant to paragraph (2) (c) or (d) of this Rule, entries shall be made in the ship's official log book of the times and duration for which the listening watch on the navigating bridge was discontinued and of the circumstances in which the watch was transferred elsewhere or in wich the safety of the ship was prejudiced as the case may be.

(4) a written summary shall be maintained of all communications relating to distress, urgency and safety traffic received or transmitted on the VHF radiotelephone installation during the watch."

GIVEN under my Official Seal, this 2nd day of September, 1985.

JAMES MITCHELL,

Minister for Communications.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

These Rules further amend the Merchant Shipping (Radio Installations) Rules 1983 ( S.I. No. 308 of 1983 ). They provide that cargo ships of 300 tons or more and passenger ships must be provided with a VHF Radiotelephone installation.

They align the watchkeeping requirements in the State on 156.8 Mhz with those contained in the Amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea 1974 adopted on 20th November 1981, and complete the implementation of those Amendments in so far as they relate to Chapter IV (Radiotelegraphy and Radiotelephony).