Marine Radar IMO regulation

Reference：

Carriage Requirement of Radar and ARPA.

The Chapter V of SOLAS details the carriage requirement of Radar and ARPA onboard ships

In the simplest words, they are as follows:

-All ships of 300 GRT and above and all passenger vessels shall be fitted with a 9 GHz Radar and an electronic plotting aid.

-All ships of 500 GRT and above shall be fitted with an automatic tracking aid to plot the range and bearing of other targets.

-All ships of 3000 GRT and above, a 3 GHz Radar or a second 9 GHz Radar which are functionally independent of the first 9 GHz Radar. A second automatic tracking aid to plot the range and bearing of other targets, which is functionally independent of the first electronic plotting aid.

The SOLAS also gives the provision to allow the use of any other equipment which can possibly perform all the functions of Radar and ARPA. 

But in practical, there is no other equipment efficiently suitable for this purpose.

SOLAS REQUIREMENTS FOR MARINE RADARRADAR Requirements as per SOLAS Chp V

Chp. V/ Reg 19.2.3 of SOLAS: – All ships of 300 GRT and upwards and passenger ships irrespective of size shall have a 9 GHz RADAR or other means to determine and display the range and bearing of radar transponders and other surface craft, obstructions, buoys, shorelines, and navigational marks to assist in navigation and collision avoidance;

Chp. V/ Reg 19.2.5 of SOLAS: -An automatic tracking aid, or other means, to plot automatically the range and bearing of other targets to determine collision risk.

Chp. V/ Reg 19.2.7 of SOLAS: – A 3 GHz RADAR or where considered appropriate by the Administration a second 9 GHz RADAR, or other means to determine and display the range and bearing of other surface craft, obstructions, buoys, shorelines, and navigational marks to assist in navigation and in collision avoidance a second automatic tracking aid, or other means to plot automatically the range and bearing of other targets to determine collision risk which are functionally independent of those referred to in paragraph 2.5.5 of SOLAS Chp V/ Reg 19.

For these RADARs to work as per the standard the IMO has outlined Performance Standards for RADAR Equipment on board. These Performance Standards were revised under Res. MSC.192(79) and adopted on 6 December 2004.