Merchant Shipping Act, 1951 (Act No. 57 of 1951)

Schedules

Second Schedule

Protocol of 1978 Relating to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974

Annex

Chapter IV : Radiotelegraphy and Radiotelephony

Part B — Watches

Regulation 6 : Watches — Radiotelegraph

Purchase

(a)

Each ship which in accordance with Regulation 3 or Regulation 4 of this Chapter is fitted with a radiotelegraph station shall, while at sea, carry at least one radio officer and, if not fitted with a radiotelegraph auto alarm shall, subject to the provisions of paragraph (d) of this Regulation, listen continuously on the radiotelegraph distress frequency by means of a radio officer using headphones or a loudspeaker.

(b)

Each passenger ship which in accordance with Regulation 3 of this Chapter is fitted with a radiotelegraph station, if fitted with a radiotelegraph auto alarm, shall, subject to the provisions of paragraph (d) of this Regulation, and while at sea, listen on the radiotelegraph distress frequency by means of a radio officer using headphones or a loudspeaker, as follows:

(i)	If carrying or certificated to carry 250 passengers or less, at least 8 hours listening a day in the aggregate:

(ii)	if carrying or certificated to carry more than 250 passengers and engaged on a voyage exceeding 16 hours’ duration between two consecutive ports, at least 16 hours’ listening a day in the aggregate. In this case the ship shall carry at least two radio officers;

(iii)

if carrying or certificated to carry more than 250 passengers and engaged on a voyage of less than 16 hours’ duration between two consecutive ports, at least 8 hours’ listening a day in the aggregate.

(c)

(i)

Each cargo ship which in accordance with Regulation 3 of this Chapter is fitted with a radiotelegraph station, if fitted with a radiotelegraph auto alarm, shall, subject to the provisions of paragraph (d) of this Regulation, and while at sea, listen on the radiotelegraph distress frequency by means of a radio officer using headphones or a loudspeaker, for at least 8 hours a day in the aggregate.

(ii)

Each cargo ship of 300 tons gross tonnage and upwards but less than 1600 tons gross tonnage which is fitted with a radiotelegraph station as a consequence of Regulation 4 of this Chapter, if fitted with a radiotelegraph auto alarm shall, subject to the provisions of paragraph (d) of this Regulation, and while at sea, listen on the radiotelegraph distress frequency by means of a radio officer using headphones or a loudspeaker, during such periods as may be determined by the Administration. Administrations shall, however, have regard to the desirability of requiring, whenever practicable, a listening watch of at least 8 hours a day in the aggregate.

(d)

(i)

During the period when a radio officer is required by this Regulation to listen on the radiotelegraph distress frequency, the radio officer may discontinue such listening during the time when he is handling traffic on other frequencies, or performing other essential radio duties, but only if it is impracticable to listen by split headphones or loudspeaker. The listening watch shall always be maintained by a radio officer using headphones or a loudspeaker during the silence periods provided for by the Radio Regulations.

The term “essential radio duties” in this paragraph includes urgent repairs of—

(1)	equipment for radiocommunication used for safety;

(2)	radio navigational equipment by order of the master.

(ii)

In addition to the provisions of subparagraph (i) of this paragraph, on ships other than multi-radio officer passenger ships, the radio officer may, in exceptional cases, i.e. when it is impractical to listen by split headphones or loudspeaker, discontinue listening by order of the master in order to carry out maintenance required to prevent imminent malfunction of—

equipment for radiocommunication use for safety;

radio navigational equipment;

other electronic navigational equipment including its repair:

Provided that—

(1)	the radio officer, at the discretion of the Administration concerned, is appropriately qualified to perform these duties; and

(2)	the ship is fitted with a receiving selector which meets the requirements of the Radio Regulations; (3) the listening watch is always maintained by a radio officer using headphones or loudspeaker during the silence periods provided for by the Radio Regulations.

(e)	In all ships fitted with a radiotelegraph auto alarm this radiotelegraph auto alarm shall, while the ship is at sea, be in operation whenever there is no listening being kept under paragraphs (b), (c) or (d) of this Regulation and, whenever practicable, during direction-finding operations.

(f)	The listening periods provided for by this Regulation, including those which are determined by the Administration, should be maintained preferably during periods prescribed for the radiotelegraph service by the Radio Regulations.