ACR Electronics and Ocean Signal: ACR Electronics and Ocean Signal Work with Commercial Fishing Operators to Meet Deadline for Installation of Float-Free Distress Beacons

Leading safety and survival specialists offer fast and cost-effective solutions for applicable vessels required to comply with new EPIRB regulations in New Zealand before 1 January 2019

ACR Electronics, Inc. and Ocean Signal are working with commercial fishing operators in New Zealand to help them comply to new safety regulations that require the installation of float-free EPIRBs (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons) on fishing boats.

The new rule making float-free EPIRBs compulsory applies to fishing vessels of between 7.5 metres and 24 metres operating outside enclosed waters. Prompted by recommendations from Coroners and the Transport Accident and Investigation Commission, the new requirement is one of five changes to the Maritime Rules made recently by the Minister of Transport.

The leading distress beacon specialists have announced the immediate availability of their latest Category 1 automatically deployed EPIRBs to provide owners and operators of all applicable commercial fishing vessels with a cost-effective and reliable solution ahead of the 1 January 2019 deadline.

With demand expected to increase for the specific float-free category of EPIRB when the new Maritime Rules come into effect on 15 March 2018, ACR Electronics and Ocean Signal’s key distributors have responded by increasing stock levels to ensure they can meet all requests for product.

Currently, fishing boats operating more than 200nm from New Zealand’s coast must have EPIRBs that automatically float-free of a sinking vessel and activate, while fishing boats operating within 200nm must have either float-free or manually-activated EPIRBs. The recommendations to change the regulations followed the death of 24 people over the last 11 years when inshore fishing boats sank and the crews were unable to activate their manual EPIRBs.

Steve Mullin, Sales Manager Asia – Australasia, ACR Electronics, said: “Any measures that make commercial fishing safer and help save lives should be welcomed. Now that these new rules are in place, it is our job as safety equipment suppliers to make life as easy as possible for all the operators who must replace their old EPIRBs before January next year. We encourage them to come and talk to their nearest ACR Electronics or Ocean Signal distributor as soon as possible to learn more about our float-free EPIRB options and features.”

Automatically deployed and activated when submerged in water, the ACR Electronics GlobalFIX V4 and GlobalFIX Pro, and Ocean Signal SafeSea 100G float-free EPIRBs feature Category 1 hydrostatic release brackets or housing options, and are reliable, innovative, compact and user-friendly with exceptional battery lives. The EPIRBs’ robust internal GPS fixes the exact location of the vessel in distress within 110 to 120 metres accuracy. The coordinates are then transmitted via a 406MHz distress signal to search and rescue authorities, with a 121.5MHz homing signal further guiding searchers to the position.

All ACR Electronics and Ocean Signal beacons are compatible with the next-gen MEOSAR satellites, ensuring they will offer near instantaneous signal detection and transmission enabled by the global transponders and upgraded ground-station components. Since 1982, the Cospas-Sarsat international satellite SAR systems has helped to save more than 40,000 lives by pinpointing the location of emergency distress beacon signals.

EPIRBs supplied by ACR Electronics and Ocean Signal are an affordable product for inclusion in any commercial boat safety kit. Please contact your distributor for further price information:

ACR Electronics
Hutchwilco
10 Farmhouse Lane
Glen Innes
Auckland
New Zealand
Phone: +64 9 528 0788
Fax: +64 9 528 0722
Email: enquiries@hutchwilco.co.nz

or

Ocean Signal
Lusty & Blundell
38 Tawa Dr
Auckland 0632
New Zealand
Phone: 09 415 8303
Email: sales@lusty-blundell.co.nz