Sec.  80.1105   Maintenance requirements.

   (a)  Equipment must be so designed that the main units can be replaced
   readily, without elaborate recalibration or readjustment. Where applicable,
   equipment must be constructed and installed so that it is readily accessible
   for inspection and on-board maintenance purposes. Adequate information must
   be provided to enable the equipment to be properly operated and maintained
   (see IMO Resolution A.569(14)).

   (b) Radio equipment required by this subpart must be maintained to provide
   the availability of the functional requirements specified in  Sec. 80.1081 and to
   meet the performance standards specified in  Sec. 80.1101.

   (c) On ships engaged on voyages in sea areas A1 and A2, the availability
   must be ensured by duplication of equipment, shore-based maintenance, or
   at-sea electronic maintenance capability, or a combination of these.

   (d) On ships engaged on voyages in sea areas A3 and A4, the availability
   must be ensured by using a combination of at least two of the following
   methods:  duplication of equipment, shore-based maintenance, or at-sea
   electronic maintenance capability.

   (e) Irrespective of the maintenance methods used, a ship must not depart
   from  any  port unless and until the ship is capable of performing all
   distress and safety functions as specified in  Sec. 80.1081.

   (f)  Irrespective  of the maintenance methods used, all manufacturers'
   instruction manuals and maintenance manuals for each piece of equipment
   required and installed must be available on-board ship. Adequate tools,
   spare parts, and test equipment appropriate to the methods used by the ship
   as recommended by the manufacturer should be provided. The manuals, tools,
   spare  parts,  and  test  equipment,  as applicable, should be readily
   accessible.

   (g)  If  the  duplication of equipment maintenance method is used, the
   following radio installations, in addition to other equipment requirements
   specified in this subpart, must be available on-board ships for their sea
   areas as applicable. Equipment carried in accordance with this paragraph
   must  comply  with   Sec.  Sec. 80.1101  and  80.1103.  Additionally, each radio
   installation must be connected to a separate antenna and be installed and be
   ready for immediate operation.

   (1) Ships, equipped in accordance with  Sec. 80.1087 for sea area A1, must carry
   a VHF radio installation complying with the requirements of  Sec. 80.1085(a)(1).

   (2) Ships, equipped in accordance with  Sec. 80.1089 for sea areas A1 and A2,
   must carry a VHF radio installation complying with the requirements of
    Sec. 80.1085(a)(1) and an MF radio installation complying with the requirements
   of  Sec. 80.1089(a)(1) and being able to fully comply with watch requirements as
   specified  in   Sec. 80.1123(a)(2). The MF radio installation installed for
   duplication must also comply with the requirements  Sec. 80.1089(c).

   (3) Ships, equipped in accordance with  Sec. 80.1091 for sea areas A1, A2, and
   A3, must carry a VHF radio installation complying with the requirements of
    Sec. 80.1085(a)(1) and either an MF/HF radio installation complying with the
   requirements of  Sec. 80.1091(b)(1) and being able to fully comply with watch
   requirements  as specified in  Sec. 80.1123(a)(2) or an INMARSAT ship earth
   station complying with the requirements of  Sec. 80.1091(a)(1). The MF/HF radio
   installation or the INMARSAT ship earth station installed for duplication
   must also comply with the requirements  Sec. 80.1091(c).

   (4) Ships, equipped in accordance with  Sec. 80.1093 for sea areas A1, A2, A3,
   and A4, must carry a VHF radio installation complying with the requirement
   of   Sec. 80.1085(a)(1)  and an MF/HF radio installation complying with the
   requirements of  Sec. 80.1091(b)(1) and being able to fully comply with watch
   requirements as specified in  Sec. 80.1123(a)(2). The MF/HF radio installation
   installed  for  duplication  must  also  comply  with the requirements
    Sec. 80.1091(c).

   (h) The radio installations specified in paragraph (g) of this section
   (referred as “duplicated equipment”), in addition to the appropriate radio
   equipment specified in  Sec. 80.1099 (referred as “basic equipment”), must be
   connected  to  the reserve sources of energy required by  Sec. 80.1099. The
   capacity of the reserve sources of energy should be sufficient to operate
   the particular installation ( i.e., the basic equipment or the duplicated
   equipment) with the highest power consumption, for the appropriate period
   specified in  Sec. 80.1099. However, the arrangement for the reserve sources of
   energy must be such that a single fault in this arrangement cannot affect
   both the basic and the duplicated equipment.

   (i)  If  the  shore-based  maintenance  method  is used, the following
   requirements apply.

   (1) Maintenance services must be completed and performance verified and
   noted in the ship's record before departure from the first port of call
   entered after any failure occurs.

   (2) Each GMDSS equipment must be tested and performance verified and the
   results noted in the ship's record before departure from every port. To
   accomplish this, each ship shall carry a performance checkoff sheet listing
   each GMDSS equipment carried on a mandatory basis.

   (j) If the at-sea maintenance method is used, the following requirements
   apply.

   (1) Adequate additional technical documentation, tools, test equipment, and
   spare parts must be carried on-board ship to enable a qualified maintainer
   as specified in  Sec. 80.1074 to perform tests and localize and repair faults in
   the radio equipment.

   (2) Only persons that comply with the requirements of  Sec. 80.1074 may perform
   at-sea maintenance on radio installations required by this subpart.

   (k) Satellite EPIRBs shall be tested at intervals not exceeding 12 months
   for  all aspects of operational efficiency with particular emphasis on
   frequency stability, signal strength and coding. The test may be conducted
   on board the ship or at an approved testing or servicing station.

   [ 51 FR 31213 , Sept. 2, 1986, as amended at  68 FR 46980 , Aug. 7, 2003]

Operating Procedures for Distress and Safety Communications