Merchant Shipping Act, 1951 (Act No. 57 of 1951)RegulationsMerchant Shipping (Radio Installations) Regulations, 2002Part 3 : Non-GMDSS Requirements30. VHF Radio watches |
| (1) | Every ship to which this Part applies, while at sea, must maintain a continuous watch on the navigation bridge on the frequency 156.8 MHz (VHF channel 16). |
| (2) | This radio watch may be discontinued— |
| (a) | when the receiver is being used for traffic on a frequency other than 156.8 MHz; |
| (b) | when the ship is maintaining a watch on a frequency other than 156.8 MHz for the purpose of a port operation, ship movement or safety of navigation service; |
| (c) | when, at the direction of the master, the watch is being maintained elsewhere in the ship; or |
| (d) | if, in the opinion of the master, the watch is prejudicial to the safety of the ship. |
| (3) | Where the radio watch is discontinued pursuant to subregulation (2)(c) or (d), entries must be made in the ship's official logbook or in the radio log required by regulation 37, as the case requires, of the times and duration for which the watch on the navigation bridge was discontinued and of the circumstances in which the watch was transferred elsewhere or in which the safety of the ship was prejudiced, as the case may be. |
| (4) | A written summary must be maintained of all communications relating to distress, urgency and safety traffic received or transmitted on the VHF radiotelephone installation during the radio watch. |
| (5) | Every ship to which this Part applies, while at sea, must maintain a radio watch for broadcasts of maritime safety information on the appropriate channel or channels on which such information is broadcast for the area in which the ship is being navigated. |