Merchant Shipping Act, 1951 (Act No. 57 of 1951) Regulations Merchant Shipping (Radio Installations) Regulations, 2002 Part 1 : General 2. Interpretation

 

 

"area A1 ship"

means a ship to which Part 2 applies making a voyage in sea area AI only;

 

"area A2 ship"

means a ship to which Part 2 applies making a voyage in sea area A2 only, or in sea areas AI and A2;

 

"area A3 ship"

means a ship to which Part 2 applies making a voyage in sea area A3 only, or in sea area A3 and also in sea area A1 or A2 or both those sea areas;

 

area A4 ship"

means a ship to which Part 2 applies making a voyage in sea area A4 only, or in sea area A4 and also in one or more of sea areas A1, A2 and A3;

 

"bridge-to-bridge communications"

means safety communications between ships from the position from which such ships are normally navigated;

 

"cargo ship"

means any ship that is not—

 

"connected"

means electrically connected;

 

"conning position"

means the place on the bridge with a commanding view of the ship and its position used by navigators when commanding, manoeuvring and controlling the ship;

 

"constructed"

in relation to a ship, means having its keel laid or being at a similar stage of construction;

 

"continuous watch"

means a radio watch that is not interrupted other than for brief intervals when the ship's receiving capability is impaired or blocked by its own communications or when the watchkeeping facilities are under periodical maintenance or checks;

 

"contravene"

in relation to a provision of these regulations, includes failing or refusing to comply with that provision;

 

"Convention ship"

means—

 

"Convention State"

means any State, other than the Republic, that is a State party to the Safety Convention;

 

"COSPAS-SARSAT satellite service"

means a satellite aided search and rescue system designed to locate distress beacons transmitting in the 406 MHz band and on other frequencies;

 

"direct-printing telegraphy"

means an automated telegraphy technique that complies with the relevant recommendations specified by the Authority in a marine notice;

 

"DSC"

means Digital Selective Calling, being a technique using digital codes that enables a radio station to establish contact with, and transfer information to, another station or group of stations, and complying with the relevant recommendations specified by the Authority in a marine notice;

 

"DSC watch"

means listening for an audible alarm from a ship's DSC equipment on VHF (channel 70), MF (2187.5 kHz) or HF (8414.5 kHz), and on at least one of the distress and safety DSC frequencies 4207.5 kHz, 6312 kHz, 12577 kHz OT 16804.5 kHz;

 

"enhanced group calling (EGC)"

means a system providing a simple and automated means of receiving marine safety information via satellite on board ships at sea and in coastal waters;

 

"EPIRB"

means an emergency position-indicating radio beacon operating in a mobile service the emissions of which are intended to facilitate search and rescue operations;

 

"existing ship"

means a ship that is not a new ship;

 

"fishing vessel"

means any of the following classes of vessels used for catching fish or other living resources of the sea for financial gain or reward:

 

"from shore"

means seaward from the low-water line as defined in section 1 of the Maritime Zones Act, 1998 (Act No. 15 of 1998);

 

"general radio communications"

means operational and public correspondence traffic, other than distress, urgency and safety messages, conducted by radio;

 

"GMDSS"

means the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System;

 

"GMDSS general operator's certificate" and "GMDSS restricted operator's certificate"

mean the certificates respectively so entitled, issued or recognized under the authority of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa, in accordance with the ITU Radio Regulations;

 

"HF"

means the frequency spectrum between 3 000 kHz and 30 MHz;

 

"IMO"

means the International Maritime Organization;

 

"INMARSAT"

means the Organization established by the Convention on the International Maritime Satellite Organization adopted on 3 September 1976;

 

"INMARSAT enhanced group calling system"

means the SafetyNET service by which INMARSAT distributes meteorological, navigational and search and rescue messages to ships provided with an enhanced group calling system receiver;

 

"INMARSAT geostationary satellite service"

means the mobile satellite service provided by INMARSAT through its geostationary satellites;

 

"INMARSAT ship earth station"

means a mobile earth station in the maritime mobile-satellite service located on board a ship that is not permanently moored;

 

"international NAVTEX service"

means the co-ordinated broadcast and automatic reception on 5 18 kHz of maritime safety information by means of narrow-band direct–printing telegraphy using the English language;

 

"ITU Radio Regulations"

means the regulations annexed to, or regarded as being annexed to, the most recent International Telecommunication Convention in force at any time;

 

"length"

means—

 

"locating"

means the finding of ships, aircraft, units or persons in distress;

 

"maintenance"

means any activity intended to keep a radio installation in efficient working condition, and includes tests, measurements, replacements, adjustments and repairs;

 

"major conversion"

in relation to an existing ship, means a conversion-

 

"maritime safety information"

means navigational and meteorological warnings, meteorological forecasts and other urgent safety-related messages broadcast to ships;

 

"MF"

means the frequency spectrum between 300 kHz and 3000 kHz;

 

"MF coast station"

means a radio communication service located on the coast offering services in the medium frequency band (300-3000 kHz);

 

"mobile satellite service"

means a radio communication service between—

 

"new ship"

means—

 

"non-Convention ship"

means—

 

"operating position"

in relation to any radio equipment, means the position normally occupied by a person when operating that equipment;

 

"pleasure vessel"

means a ship that is used solely for sport or recreation;

 

"radar transponder"

means a survival craft radar transponder for search and rescue between ships or aircraft and survival craft;

 

''radio communication"

means telecommunication by means of radio waves;

 

"radio communication service''

means a service as defined in the ITU Radio Regulations involving the transmission, emission or reception of radio waves for specific telecommunication purposes;

 

"radio installation"

means any radio installation provided on board a ship in compliance with these regulations, including its associated antennas, inter-connecting circuits and, where appropriate, sources of energy;

 

"radio log"

means the diary of the radio communication service;

 

"radiotelephone operator"

means a person holding a valid appropriate certificate issued in accordance with the ITU Radio Regulations

 

"radiotelephone ship"

means a ship provided with a radiotelephone installation in accordance with Part 3;

 

"radiotelephone installation"

means the equipment operating in the frequency band 1605-27500 kHz;

 

"radiotelephone station"

means the place on board a ship where a radiotelephone installation is located;

 

"satellite EPIRB"

means an EPIRB that is in the mobile-satellite service;

 

"sea area A1"

means an area within the radiotelephone coverage of at least one VHF coast station in which continuous DSC alerting is available;

 

"sea area A2"

means an area, excluding sea area A1, within the radiotelephone coverage of at least one MF coast station in which continuous DSC alerting is available;

 

"sea area A3"

means an area, excluding sea areas A1 and A 2 , within the coverage of an INMARSAT geostationary satellite in which continuous alerting is available;

 

"sea area A4"

means an area outside sea areas A1, A2 and A3;

 

"service"

in relation to a reference to any particular type of radio communication service, means a reference to that service as defined in the ITU Radio Regulations;

 

"ship station"

means a mobile station, other than a survival craft station, in the maritime mobile service located on board a ship that is not permanently moored;

 

"silence period"

means a period of 3 minutes beginning at each hour and at 30 minutes past each hour, on the frequency 2 182 kHz;

 

"similar stage of construction"

means the stage at which—

 

"survival craft"

means a vessel that is capable of sustaining the lives of persons in distress after abandoning ship;

 

"survival craft station"

means a mobile station in the maritime mobile service intended solely for survival purposes and located on any lifeboat, life-raft or other survival equipment;

 

"the Act"

means the Merchant Shipping Act, 1951 (Act No. 57 of 1951);

 

"ton"

in relation to a ship, means its gross tonnage calculated in accordance with the tonnage measurement regulations contained in Annex I to the Tonnage Convention;

 

"VHF"

means the frequency spectrum between 30 MHz and 300 MHz;

 

"VWF coast station"

means a radio communication service located on the coast offering services in the very high frequency band (30-300 MHz);

 

"VHF radiotelephone installation"

means the equipment operating in the frequency band 156.025-162.025 MHz;

 

"VHF radiotelephone station"

means the place on board a ship where a VHF radiotelephone installation is located;

 

"waters under South African jurisdiction"

means waters comprising—