Vessel Regulation Requirements by Gross Tonnage and Area

The table below outlines the required equipment and systems for vessels based on their Gross Tonnage (GRT) and the areas they operate in, in compliance with the latest IMO and SOLAS regulations.

Gross Tonnage: 300 < GRT < 500

Area	Required Equipment and Systems
Area 1	– VHF + DSC
	– Duplicated VHF + DSC
	– VHF – DSC Watch Receiver (Ch. 70)
	– NAVTEX Receiver
	– Satellite EPIRB – 406 MHz
	– Reserve Power Source + Automatic Battery Charger
	– Shore-based Maintenance (SBM)
	– 2-Way Radiotelephones (Portable GMDSS VHF)
	– 2-Way Radiotelephones (Portable FFA VHF)
	– SART (RADAR-SART 9GHz –or- AIS-SART) x1
	– General Alarm System + Communication –or- Public Address System
	– RADAR X-band (9 GHz)
	– Annual Radio Survey
Area 1 + Area 2	– All of Area 1, plus:
	– MF – SSB + DSC
	– MF – DSC Watch Receiver (Freq. 2187.5 KHz)
	– LRIT Reporting Function
Area 1 + Area 2 + Area 3	– All of Area 1 + Area 2, plus:
	– Inmarsat C –or- GMDSS mini-C + EGC Receiver
	– MF/HF – SSB + DSC + NBDP
	– MF/HF – DSC Watch Receiver (2, 4, 6, 8, 12 & 16 MHz)
	– Duplicated Inmarsat C –or- GMDSS mini-C + EGC Receiver
	– Duplicated MF/HF SSB+DSC+NBDP

Gross Tonnage: 500 < GRT

Area	Required Equipment and Systems
Area 1	– VHF + DSC
	– Duplicated VHF + DSC
	– VHF – DSC Watch Receiver (Ch. 70)
	– NAVTEX Receiver
	– Satellite EPIRB – 406 MHz
	– Reserve Power Source + Automatic Battery Charger
	– Shore-based Maintenance (SBM)
	– 2-Way Radiotelephones (Portable GMDSS VHF)
	– 2-Way Radiotelephones (Portable FFA VHF)
	– SART (RADAR-SART 9GHz –or- AIS-SART) x1
	– General Alarm System + Communication –or- Public Address System
	– RADAR X-band (9 GHz)
	– Annual Radio Survey
Area 1 + Area 2	– All of Area 1, plus:
	– MF – SSB + DSC
	– MF – DSC Watch Receiver (Freq. 2187.5 KHz)
	– LRIT Reporting Function
Area 1 + Area 2 + Area 3	– All of Area 1 + Area 2, plus:
	– Inmarsat C –or- GMDSS mini-C + EGC Receiver
	– MF/HF – SSB + DSC + NBDP
	– MF/HF – DSC Watch Receiver (2, 4, 6, 8, 12 & 16 MHz)
	– Duplicated Inmarsat C –or- GMDSS mini-C + EGC Receiver
	– Duplicated MF/HF SSB+DSC+NBDP

Key Points:

• Area 1: Coastal sea areas within range of shore-based VHF radio stations (approx. 20-30 nautical miles).
• Area 2: Sea areas within the range of shore-based MF radio stations (approx. 100-150 nautical miles).
• Area 3: Sea areas beyond Areas 1 and 2 but within the coverage of an Inmarsat geostationary satellite (approximately 70° North to 70° South).
• Area 4: Sea areas outside the coverage of an Inmarsat geostationary satellite, usually polar regions.

Additional Notes:

• VHF + DSC: Very High Frequency radio with Digital Selective Calling.
• Duplicated VHF + DSC: Redundant system to ensure continuous operation.
• VHF – DSC Watch Receiver (Ch. 70): Dedicated watch receiver for Channel 70 for DSC alerts.
• NAVTEX Receiver: Receives navigational and meteorological warnings and forecasts.
• Satellite EPIRB – 406 MHz: Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon operating at 406 MHz.
• MF – SSB + DSC: Medium Frequency – Single Side Band radio with DSC.
• MF – DSC Watch Receiver (Freq. 2187.5 KHz): Dedicated watch receiver for 2187.5 KHz.
• Inmarsat C –or- GMDSS mini-C + EGC Receiver: Satellite communication system for receiving Enhanced Group Calls.
• MF/HF – SSB + DSC + NBDP: Medium/High Frequency – Single Side Band radio with DSC and Narrow Band Direct Printing.
• LRIT Reporting Function: Long-Range Identification and Tracking system.
• SBM – Shore-based Maintenance: Contractual maintenance support from shore-based facilities.
• SART (RADAR-SART 9GHz –or- AIS-SART): Search and Rescue Transponder or Automatic Identification System Search and Rescue Transmitter.
• General Alarm System + Communication –or- Public Address System: Alerts crew and passengers in emergencies.

Ensure your vessel is equipped as per the above requirements to comply with IMO and SOLAS regulations for safe and effective maritime operations.