The Directorate General of Shipping, Mumbai (DGS) on December 22, 2023, issued a notification regarding amendments to Chapter IV-Radio communications under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 (SOLAS)and its applicability.
Chapter IV has hereby been replaced by the IMO Resolution Amendment 2022 to SOLAS adopted on April 28, 2022, and notified vide Resolution MSC.496 (105); the same has been annexed to this Order at "Annexure-2". Additionally, the Sea areas A1, A2, A3 & A4 are defined in the revised Chapter IV Regulation 2 - Terms and definitions. As there are no existing DSC-facilitated Coast Radio Stations within Indian waters for Sea Areas A1 and A2, the entire Indian Sea region falls under Sea Area A3 and is covered under Recognized Mobile Satellite Service (RMSS) through INMARSAT and Iridium service.
The stakeholders are therefore required to be guided by this Order towards compliance with the provisions to give full effect to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea and the mandatory codes.
[Notification No. 25-25/2/2023-NT-DGS(26464)]
