RECALLING Article 15(j) of the Convention on the International
Maritime Organization concerning the functions of the Assembly in
relation to regulations and guidelines concerning maritime safety,
RECALLING ALSO regulations IV/7.1.6 and 14.1 of the 1988 amendments
to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS),
1974, concerning radiocommunications for the global maritime distress
and safety system (GMDSS), which require respectively that ships be
provided with a satellite emergency position-indicating radio beacon
(EPIRB) and that such EPIRBs shall conform to appropriate performance
standards not inferior to those adopted by the Organization,
RECOGNIZING the need to prepare performance standards for
float-free satellite EPIRBs operating through the geostationary Inmarsat
satellite system on 1.6 GHz to be used in the GMDSS in order to ensure
the operational reliability of such equipment and to avoid, as far
as practicable, adverse interaction between such equipment and other
communication and navigation equipment on board ship,
HAVING CONSIDERED the recommendation made by the Maritime
Safety Committee at its sixty-fifth session,
1. ADOPTS the Recommendation on Performance Standards
for Float-Free Satellite EPIRBs Operating Through the Geostationary
Inmarsat Satellite System on 1.6 GHz set out in the annex to the present
resolution;
2. RECOMMENDS Governments to ensure that float-free
satellite EPIRBs operating through the geostationary Inmarsat satellite
system on 1.6 GHz, which form part of the GMDSS;
-
(a) if installed on or after 23 November 1996,
conform to performance standards not inferior to those specified in
the annex to the present resolution;
-
(b) if installed before 23 November 1996, conform
to performance standards not inferior to those specified in the annex
to Resolution A.661(16);
3. INVITES Inmarsat to ensure that any amendments
in the specification for Inmarsat 1.6 GHz distress beacons are agreed
with the Organization prior to their adoption;
4. REQUESTS the Maritime Safety Committee to ensure
that any proposed amendments to this resolution are agreed with Inmarsat
prior to their adoption;
5. REQUESTS ALSO the Maritime Safety Committee
to keep these Performance Standards under review and to adopt amendments
thereto, as necessary.