This International Standard specifies the minimum operational and performance requirements, methods of testing and required test results conforming to performance standards not inferior to those adopted by the IMO in Resolution MSC.192(79). (MSC.192/2) The radar installation, in addition to meeting the general requirements as set out in resolution A.694(17) and the related general standard, IEC 60945, should comply with the performance standards of MSC.192(79). When a requirement of this standard is different from IEC 60945 the requirement in this standard takes precedence. All text in this standard with wording identical to that in IMO resolution MSC.192(79) is printed in italics. Reference to MSC.192(79) is by the relevant requirement clause as indicated in brackets, for example (MSC.192/4.2.3). Some clauses from Resolution MSC.192(79) may be split and the requirements in this case are addressed separately. (MSC.192/5) The design and performance of the radar should be based on user requirements and up-to-date navigational technology. It should provide effective target detection within the safety-relevant environment surrounding own ship and should permit fast and easy situation evaluation. (MSC.192/1) The radar equipment should assist in safe navigation and in avoiding collision by providing an indication, in relation to own ship, of the position of other surface craft, obstructions and hazards, navigation objects and shorelines. For this purpose, radar should provide the integration and display of radar video, target tracking information, positional data derived from own ship’s position (EPFS) and geo referenced data. The integration and display of AIS information should be provided to complement radar. The capability of displaying selected parts of Electronic Navigation Charts (ENC) and other vector chart information may also be provided to aid navigation and for position monitoring. Radar is a technology that should be applied together with other sensor information applicable for the task in hand. NOTE Radar is a system and its performance is a factor of all of its component parts. The type test should include the radar sensor, ancillary units and display, complete with its processing and presentation display. All of these component parts contribute to the requirements and approval to these radar standards. Other navigational systems and equipment that provide radar and/or target tracking functions, should comply with the relevant clauses of this standard according to the guidelines in Annex A. A navigation display or INS may be approved as part of a radar system when tested with the specific radar sensor and relevant ancillary units. Where the intended application for a navigation system is for collision avoidance, as a minimum requirement, the radar image should always be presented, together with the relevant functionality and performance as described in Annex A. 1.1 Purpose (MSC.192/1) The radar, when combined with other sensor, or reported information (for example AIS), should improve the safety of navigation by assisting in the efficient navigation of ships and protection of the environment by satisfying the following functional requirements: – in coastal navigation and harbour approaches, by giving a clear indication of land and other fixed hazards; – as a means to provide an enhanced traffic image and improved situation awareness; – in a ship-to-ship mode for aiding collision avoidance of both detected and reported hazards; – in the detection of small floating and fixed hazards, for collision avoidance and the safety of own ship; and – in the detection of floating and fixed aids to navigation. 1.2 Application of these standards (MSC.192/2) The Performance Standards defined by MSC.192(79) shall apply to all shipborne radar installations used in any configuration mandated by SOLAS independent of the type of ship, frequency band in use and the type of display, providing that no special requirements are specified in Table 1 and that additional requirements for specific classes of ship (in accordance with SOLAS Chapters V and X) are met. (MSC.192/2) Close interaction between different navigation equipment and systems makes it essential to consider this standard in association with other relevant IMO and IEC standards. This standard applies to radar systems, navigation systems and navigation equipment which have the task of target detection and collision avoidance. Any equipment which combines these tasks and meets all of the requirements in this standard is regarded as a radar system. In support of the Collision Regulations, all available means shall be used to enhance the role of radar for safe navigation and collision avoidance. The usage of other sensors shall, where practical, observe the requirements of the standards associated with those sensors. This standard also provides guidelines and requirements for radar functionality on all navigational displays supporting the tasks of target detection, collision avoidance, general navigation and position referencing on the bridge of a ship. The successful integration of radar with AIS, charts, databases and other sensors demands that the radar equipment is correctly set up with special attention to the critical alignment of heading(s), system index delay(s), CCRP offsets and gyro. Failure to align these parameters may cause unacceptable registration with other information and may detract from the purpose of integration. This standard has mandated requirements to provide for these alignments. NOTE While X-band radar systems remain compatible with radar beacons, SARTs and radar enhancers, S-band systems are permitted to harness new radar technology which may not be compatible with those devices. All tests (or their equivalent) in this standard apply to both non-coherent (for example conventional-based radar) and coherent radar systems (for example pulse compression radar). 1.3 Equipment categories This standard covers the testing of all SOLAS shipborne radar equipment. Individual equipment may be tested for a specific category of vessel. Table 1 provides a summary of the categories and basic differential capabilities for each category. The category should be indicated on the type label of the main radar electronics unit and on the related Certification of Test. Equipment approved for high speed applications should include a suffix H (for example CAT 1H) and equipment approved with a chart option should include a suffix C (for example CAT 1HC). (MSC.192/5.3.1.1) Recognising the high relative speeds possible between own ship and target, the equipment should be specified and approved as being suitable for classes of ship having normal (≤30 kn) or high (>30 kn) own ship speeds (100 kn and 140 kn relative speeds respectively). The additional characteristics for equipment qualified to be approved for HSC and/or for chart radar are identified in this standard. For example, HSC equipment should be compatible with own ship speeds of up to 70 kn, should be capable of tracking targets with a 140 kn relative speed and should operate between latitudes of 70 oN and 70 oS. A chart radar should conform to all the requirements of Clause 11 in this standard. References are made to IEC 61174 (ECDIS) for specific and standalone chart functionality.
