The Merchant Shipping (Radio Installations) Regulations 1998

Sources of energy

17.—(1) There shall be available at all times while the ship is at sea a supply of electrical energy sufficient to operate the radio installations and to charge any batteries used as part of a reserve source or sources of energy for the radio installations.

(2) A reserve source or sources of energy shall be provided on every ship, to supply radio installations, used for the purpose of conducting distress and safety radiocommunications, in the event of failure of the ship’s main and emergency sources of electrical power. The reserve source or sources of energy shall be capable of simultaneously operating the VHF radio installation required by regulation 11(1)(a) and, as appropriate for the sea area or sea areas for which the ship is equipped, either the MF radio installation required by regulation 13(1)(a), the MF/HF radio installation required by subparagraph (a) of ALTERNATIVE B in regulation 14 or regulation 15, or the INMARSAT ship earth station required by subparagraph (a) of ALTERNATIVE A in regulation 14 and any of the additional loads mentioned in paragraphs (5), (6) and (9) of this regulation for a period of at least—

(a) one hour on ships provided with an emergency source of electrical power; or

(b) six hours on ships not provided with an emergency source of electrical power,

if such source of power complies with all relevant provisions of the 1984 Regulations or the Merchant Shipping (Cargo Ship Construction) Regulations 1997(1), as appropriate, including the supply of such power to the radio installations.

(3) The reserve source or sources of energy need not be capable of supplying independent HF and MF radio installations simultaneously.

(4) The reserve source or sources of energy shall be independent of the propelling power of the ship and the ship’s electrical system.

(5) Where, in addition to the VHF installation, two or more of the other radio installations, referred to in paragraph (2) of this regulation, can be connected to the reserve source or sources of energy, such sources shall be capable of simultaneously supplying, for the period specified, as appropriate, in subparagraphs (2)(a) or (2)(b) of this regulation the VHF radio installation and either—

(a) all other radio installations which can be connected to the reserve source or sources of energy at the same time; or

(b) if only one of the other radio installations can be connected to the reserve source or sources of energy at the same time as the VHF radio installation, whichever of the other radio installations will consume the most power.

(6) The reserve source or sources of energy may be used to supply the electrical lighting required by regulation 9(1)(d).

(7) Where a reserve source of energy consists of a rechargeable accumulator battery or batteries—

(a) a means of automatically charging such batteries shall be provided which shall be capable of recharging them to minimum capacity requirements within 10 hours; and

(b) the capacity of the battery or batteries shall be checked, using an appropriate method, at intervals not exceeding 12 months when the ship is not at sea.

(8) The siting and installation of accumulator batteries which provide a reserve source of energy shall be such as to ensure—

(a) the highest degree of service;

(b) a reasonable lifetime;

(c) reasonable safety;

(d) that battery temperatures remain within the manufacturer’s specifications whether under charge or idle; and

(e) that when fully charged, the batteries will provide at least the minimum required hours of operation under all weather conditions.

(9) If an uninterrupted input of information from the ship’s navigational or other equipment to a radio installation required by this Part is needed to ensure its proper performance, means shall be provided to ensure the continuous supply of such information in the event of failure of the ship’s main or emergency source of electrical power.

(10) For the purpose of calculating the required capacity of the reserve source of energy, the total current used in calculations shall be equal to the highest sum of all the radio installations which simultaneously can be connected to the source of energy, based on the following—

(a) the current consumption of the VHF receiver;

(b) one fifth of the current consumption of the VHF transmitter;

(c) the current consumption of a MF or MF/HF receiver and of the transmitter when it is in condition that operation of the “press to transmit” switch will make it ready for immediate transmission;

(d) one third of the current which may be drawn by a MF or MF/HF transmitter for speech transmission on the frequency at which the current consumption of the transmitter is at a maximum;

(e) the current consumption of an INMARSAT ship earth station when it is receiving transmissions;

(f) one quarter of the current which may be drawn by an INMARSAT ship earth station when it is transmitting in the mode at which the current consumption is at a maximum; and

(g) the total current consumption of all additional loads to which the reserve source may supply energy in times of distress or emergency.

(1)

S.I. 1997/1509.