AMSA to conduct EPIRB inspections from February to April

Inspections of float-free EPIRBs will be conducted by the Australian Maritime Safety Agency (AMSA) from 1 February to 30 April 2021.

The AMSA says it will undertake a focused inspection campaign (FIC) to check and help operators to meet their obligations under new requirements for certain types of domestic commercial vessels to be fitted with a float-free EPIRB.

The new requirements have been introduced as a result of a number of fatal incidents where lives may have been saved if a float-free EPIRB had been fitted to the vessel.

The FIC will be conducted by marine inspectors and take place in conjunction with their regular inspections on domestic commercial vessels.

The full list of float-free EPIRB requirements for vessels of different classes can be found on the AMSA website.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Riccardo Arata