[MAT 30,025] Radio watch5 

5

(1) The master of a ship shall ensure that—

• (a)a continuous radio watch is maintained while the ship is at sea; and
• (b)the watch is kept at the position from which the ship is normally navigated.

(2) The continuous watch required under subregulation (1) shall be maintained—

• (a)for those ships not undertaking an international voyage and which are required by the maritime regulations to be fitted with a VHF radio, except on channel 16 using radio telephone;
• (b)for every ship undertaking an international voyage which are required by the maritime regulations to be fitted with a VHF radio, on channel 70 using DSC and channel 16 using radio telephone;
• (c)for every non-GMDSS ship which are required by the maritime regulations to be fitted with an MF/HF radio, on such distress and safety frequencies for radiotelephony as may be appropriate for the time of day and the geographical location of the ship in relation to a Fiji HF coast radio station;
• (d)every GMDSS ship which is required to be fitted with an MF/HF radio—
  • (i)on the distress and safety DSC frequencies 2187.5 kHz and 8414.5 kHz; and
  • (ii)on at least one of the distress and safety DSC frequencies 4207.5 kHz, 6312 kHz, 12577 kHz or 16804.5 kHz, as may be appropriate to the time of day and the geographical position of the ship; and
• (e)for every GMDSS ship that are required by the maritime regulations to be fitted with an INMARSAT ship earth station, for satellite shore-to-ship distress alerts.

(3) The master of any ship shall ensure that, while at sea, a radio watch is maintained for broadcasts of maritime safety information on the appropriate frequency or frequencies on which such information is broadcasted for the area in which the ship is operating.