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Pursuant to the provisions of R.A. 3346, R.A. 3396 and the requirements set out in Regulation 4/13/ of the 1974 Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention, as amended, concerning the reserve source or sources of energy used to supply radio installations on GMDSS ships should meet the following requirements:

1.         There shall be available at all times, while the ship is at sea, a supply of electrical energy sufficient to operate the radio installations and to charge any batteries used as part of a reserve source or sources of energy for the radio installations.

2.         A reserve source or sources of energy shall be provided on every ship, to supply radio installations, for the purpose of conducting distress and safety radio communications, in the event of failure of the ship’s main and emergency sources of electrical power. The reserve source or sources of energy shall be capable of simultaneously operating the VHF radio installation, either MF radio installation, MF/HF radio installation, MF/HF radio installation, or the INMARSAT ship earth station for a period of at least:

a.    One (1) hour, on ships constructed on after 1 February 1995;
b.    One (1) hour, on ships constructed before February 1995, if a self-contained emergency source of electrical power is provided; and
c.    six (6) hours, on ships constructed before 1 February 1995, if a self-contained emergency of source of electrical power is not provided.

The reserve source or sources of energy need not supply independent HF and MF radio installations HF and MF radio installations at the same time.

3.         The reserve source or sources of energy shall be independent of the propelling power of the ship and the ship’s electrical system.

4.         The reserve source or sources of energy may be used to supply the electrical lighting required to illuminate the radio controls for operating all the radio installations.

5.         Where a reserve source of energy consists of a rechargeable accumulator battery or batteries (Annex-A *):

a.      means of automatically charging such batteries shall be provided which shall be capable of recharging them to minimum capacity requirements within 10 hours; and

b.      the capacity of the battery or batteries shall be checked by fully discharging and recharging for a period of 10 hours, at intervals not exceeding 12 months, when the ship is not at sea.

6.         The sitting and installation of accumulator batteries which provide a reserve source of energy shall be such as to ensure:

a.      the highest degree of service;
b.      a reasonable lifetime;
c.       reasonable safety;
d.      that battery temperatures remain within the manufacturer’s specifications whether under charge or idle; and
e.      that when fully charged, the batteries will provide at least the minimum required hours of operation under all weather conditions.

7.         If an uninterrupted input of information from the ship’s navigational or other equipment to a radio installation required in radio communication is needed to ensure its proper performance, means shall be provided to ensure the continuous supply of such information in the event of failure of the ship’s main or emergency source of electrical power.

This Circular takes effect immediately and supersedes any existing NTC order, circular instruction or memorandum or part thereof which is inconsistent herewith.

Adopted: 01 Mar. 2000

(SGD.) JOSEPH A. SANTIAGO Commissioner
(SGD.) NESTOR C. DACANAY  Deputy Commissioner	(SGD.) AURELIO M. UMALI  Deputy Commissioner