SOLAS Requirements on Radio Life-Saving appliances

            This Regulation comes under SOLAS Chapter III, Part B - Requirements for ships and life-saving appliances, Section I - Passenger Ships and Cargo Ships, Regulation 6 - Communications.

Two-way VHF Radiotelephone Apparatus: 

• At least 3 two-way VHF radiotelephone apparatuses shall be provided on every passenger ship and on every cargo ship of 500 gross tonnages and upwards. 

• At least 2 two-way VHF radiotelephone apparatuses shall be provided on every cargo ship of 300 gross tonnages and upwards but less than 500 gross tonnages. 

• Such apparatus shall conform to performance standards not inferior to those adopted by the Organization. 

• If a fixed two-way VHF radiotelephone apparatus is fitted in a survival craft it shall conform to performance standards not inferior to those adopted by Organization. 

• Two-way VHF radiotelephone apparatus provided onboard ships before 1 February 1992 and not complying fully with the performance standards adopted by the Organization may be accepted by the Administration until 1 February 1999 provided the Administration is satisfied that they are compatible with approved two-way VHF radiotelephone apparatus. 

Search and Rescue Locating device:

• At least one search and rescue locating device shall be carried on each side of every passenger ship and of every cargo ship of 500 gross tonnages and upwards. 

• At least one search and rescue locating device shall be carried on every cargo ship of 300 gross tonnages and upwards but less than 500 gross tonnages. 

• Such search and rescue locating devices shall conform to the applicable performance standards not inferior to those adopted by the Organization. 

• The search and rescue locating devices shall be stowed in such location that they can be rapidly placed in any survival craft other than the liferaft. 

• Alternatively, one search and rescue locating device shall be stowed in each survival craft. 

• On ships carrying at least two Search and Rescue locating devices and equipped with free-fall lifeboats one of the search and rescue locating devices shall be stowed in a free-fall lifeboat and the other located in the immediate vicinity of the navigation bridge so that it can be utilized on board and ready for transfer to any of the other survival craft.

Reference: IMO Publications & Documents - International Conventions - SOLAS - Chapter III - Life-saving appliances and arrangements.