The Merchant Shipping (Radio Installations) Regulations 1998

Charging of batteries

25.—(1) If batteries are provided as a source of electrical energy for any part of the equipment required by this Part, means shall be provided on board every ship to which this Part applies, for the charging of such batteries from the ship’s main source of electrical energy. The charging facilities shall be adequate to ensure that the batteries can be fully charged within a period of not more than 16 hours:

Provided that where more than one battery is provided and each has sufficient capacity to comply with regulation 36(1) or 44(3) of this Part, as the case may be, the charging facilities shall be adequate to ensure that each battery can be fully charged within a period of 16 hours but it shall not be necessary for both batteries to be charged simultaneously.

(2) Where practicable, the batteries shall be fully charged on every occasion immediately before the ship leaves port.

(3) When the ship is at sea—

(a) the batteries forming part of—

(i) the main radiotelegraph installation, radiotelephone installation or VHF radiotelephone installation; and

(ii) in the case of a radiotelegraph ship, the reserve radiotelegraph installation, shall be brought up to the fully-charged condition daily;

(b) the batteries forming part of—

(i) the motor life-boat fixed radio equipment; and

(ii) the survival craft portable radio equipment if of a type which requires charging, shall be brought up to the fully-charged condition weekly; and

(c) the batteries forming part of the survival craft two-way radiotelephone apparatus, if of a type which require charging, shall be brought up to the normal fully-charged condition whenever necessary and at least at intervals not exceeding one week.