Marine Advisory: 23/2022 - Unavailability of New Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons
26 October 2022
Marine Advisory 23/2022
SUBJECT: Unavailability of New Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons Dear Vessel Owners/Operators/Masters and Recognized Organizations:
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this Marine Advisory is to inform you of the Liberian Administration’s policy regarding the unavailability of New Emergency Position Indicating Beacons
BACKGROUND:
IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee, at MSC 101 adopted on 14 June 2019 revised Performance Standards for Float-Free Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRBs) operating on 406 MHz (Resolution MSC.471(101)) to introduce more recent technology with the aim of further improving the capability of these devices to assist in distress alerting and locating, which is applicable to all devices installed on or after 1 July 2022.
IMO Resolution MSC.471(101) includes the following general requirements:
- The EPIRB should be capable of transmitting a distress alert, including encoded position information from a receiver using a recognized global navigation satellite system (GNSS) with global coverage, to satellites equipped with a search and rescue 406 MHz processor or repeater.
- The EPIRB should be of an automatic float-free type. The equipment, mounting and releasing arrangements should be reliable, and should operate satisfactorily under the most extreme conditions likely to be met with at sea.
- The addition of an integral GNSS receiver, an AIS locating transmitter, a light visible to night vision devices and makes provision for Second Generation 406 MHz beacons.
Inquiries concerning the subject of this Notice should be directed to the Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Republic of Liberia, the Liberian International Ship & Corporate Registry, LLC, 22980 Indian Creek drive, Suite 200, Dulles, VA
20166, USA
These changes are intended to improve the accuracy of the position provided in the distress alerting signal and to enable additional assets at sea to more readily assist in search and rescue efforts. The overall goal being to find persons in distress sooner and thus help to save more lives.
Performance and type approval standards are specified in the table below:
EPIRB Installation Date | Applicable Standards |
Before 1 July 2022 | EPIRBs should conform to performance standards not inferior to those specified in the annex to resolution A.810(19), as amended by resolutions MSC.56(66) and MSC.120(74) and be type- approved to standards not inferior to those specified in resolution A.696(17). |
On or after 1 July 2022 | EPIRBs should conform to performance standards and type-approval standards not inferior to those specified in the annex to resolution M SC.471(101). |
MARKET SHORTAGE:
The Liberian Administration advises that due to temporary market shortage and/or lack of availability of such units:
- Existing A.810(19) compliant EPIRBs installed before 01 July 2022 may continue to be used until such time as they can no longer be maintained. At such time an MSC.471(101) compliant EPRIB should be installed.
- If an IMO Resolution MSC.471 (101) compliant EPIRB is unavailable for installation after 1 July 2022, an IMO Resolution A.810(19) compliant EPIRB may be installed and used until such a time an IMO Resolution MSC.471(101) compliant EPIRB becomes available or until 01 July 2023 whichever is earlier.
If the shortage of MSC.471(101) compliant EPIRBs is not resolved by 01 July 2023, the Administration will reconsider the need to extend the grace period granted by this Advisory.
Questions regarding this instruction should be referred to regsandstandards@liscr.com or you may call +1-703-790-3434.
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The Republic of Liberia
