Leading Journal of the Irish & UK Fishing Industries

Marine Notice No. 51 of 2022

Notice to all Shipowners, Fishing Vessel Owners, Shipmasters, Skippers, Fishers, and Seafarers

It has come to the attention of the Irish Maritime Administration that the associated bracket for the hydrostatic release and remote activation function of some EPIRB’s have been found with defective magnets suffering degradation, after less than 2 years from installation.

All owners or persons responsible are requested to inspect this equipment onboard or to request their shore-based maintenance provider to do so, to confirm that the EPIRB’s float free and automatic release mechanism is functioning correctly. Special attention should be paid to the inspection of magnets and to drain holes in float free housings, especially in horizontally mounted units.

A photograph of a degraded magnet is provided  below

Any defective equipment should be reported to:
• the radio surveyor who carried out the last safety radio survey or the Marine Survey Office and
• the supplier and installer of the equipment or the shore-based maintainer of radio equipment for the vessel.
For further information please email: maritimesafetypolicydivision@transport.gov.ie
Irish Maritime Administration,
Department of Transport,
Leeson Lane, Dublin 2, D02 TR60, Ireland.
10/08/2022