8.3. Maintenance of radio communication equipment
List of rules about what shall be done in case of malfunction and/or failure of radio equipment:
1. Every device or equipment that is critical to ship’s operation at sea, must have its duplicate, so that in a case of emergency a malfunctioning device could be replaced.
2. A ship should not depart from any port unless and until the ship can perform all distress and safety communications.
3. An arrangement acceptable to the administration should be established to ensure adequate support of the ship for the maintenance and repair of its radio installations (shore-based or at-sea maintenance modes).
4. Where at-sea maintenance is used as an option to ensure availability of electronic equipment by means of a maintenance capability on board, the arrangements made must be acceptable to the vessel's flag state.
5. Shore-based maintenance contract must be acceptable to the authorities of the vessel’s flag state.
6. All manufacturers‘ instruction manuals and maintenance manuals for each piece of equipment required should be available on board. If the ship crew is international all manuals and circuit diagrams must be written in English.
7. Adequate tools, spare parts and test equipment appropriate to the methods used by the ship should be provided.
8. The manuals, tools, spare parts and test equipment should be readily accessible.
9. The person designated to perform functions for at-sea electronic maintenance should hold an appropriate certificate.
10. Each of the additional radio installations should be connected to a separate antenna and be installed and ready for immediate operation.
Duplication of equipment. The vessel shall:
- have VHF, HF and MF or Inmarsat connection. These radios must have separate antennas;
- be able to connect other radio installations.