Annual equipment checks and survey documentation in Busan
We carry out annual and periodic checks on the radio and bridge installation while the vessel is alongside in Busan, and hand over a written check report on completion for the vessel to present to surveyors and inspectors. That covers the GMDSS annual performance test, EPIRB and SART checks, VDR performance test support, magnetic compass work and general bridge equipment verification. Statutory certificates come from the authorized bodies; our report is the evidence that gets the survey through without surprises.
An annual check is only useful if it finds the defects before the surveyor does. We attend alongside in Busan, work through the radio and bridge installation item by item against the equipment list on the vessel's safety certificates, and hand over a written check report on completion. The boundary matters, so we state it plainly: NAVION issues its own inspection and test report. Statutory certificates and endorsements are issued only by the flag administration, class, or a service station approved for that specific equipment.
Book the check early in the port call rather than the last night. A defect found on day one can often be repaired from stock or with a part brought into Busan; the same defect found an hour before the surveyor arrives usually cannot. We work across Gamcheon fishing port, the Yeongdo repair yards and Busan New Port, and travel to other yards on request. The report is issued in English, with a Russian version on request.
What the job includes
- GMDSS annual performance test and report — VHF and MF/HF DSC self-tests, DSC test call to a coast station where permitted, Inmarsat-C link test, NAVTEX operation, watch receivers and distress alert procedures.
- Antenna, feeder and earthing inspection — Insulation resistance and VSWR on the HF whip and tuner, insulators, deck glands, coaxial terminations, bonding straps and corrosion at the earth point.
- Reserve source of energy load test — Capacity and load test against the required reserve period, charger output under load, electrolyte and terminal condition, battery log entries brought up to date.
- 406 MHz EPIRB annual check — Self-test, coding checked against MMSI and registration, battery and hydrostatic release unit expiry, float-free bracket and lanyard routing, stowage position.
- SART and AIS-SART verification — Radar SART self-test confirmed live on the ship's own X-band radar display; AIS-SART self-test confirmed as a target with its test message on the AIS or ECDIS display. Battery expiry, bracket condition, stowage and labelling, mounting away from obstruction.
- VDR annual performance test support — Channel-by-channel recording check, download and replay, bridge audio coverage, capsule and locator beacon condition. The APT certificate is issued by the approved facility.
- Magnetic compass support and deviation card coordination — Binnacle, correctors, azimuth and reflection tube, lighting and dimmer. Adjuster attendance coordinated; the deviation card is signed by the licensed adjuster.
- Bridge equipment functional verification — Radar performance monitor, AIS static and voyage data, GNSS, echo sounder, speed log, gyro repeaters, autopilot alarms, BNWAS stages, chart system version and licences.
- Radio survey preparation and document review — Radio log, ship station licence, operator certificates, battery log, manuals, approved equipment list and required spares checked before the inspector attends.
- Defect rectification and spares supply — Repairs, replacement batteries, HRUs, antennas, connectors and cable fitted in the same port call where stock allows, with a written quotation for the rest.
Timing
These are typical ranges for a vessel in reasonable condition with documentation to hand, not a guarantee. Missing manuals, seized antenna hardware, a failed reserve battery or a beacon due for shore-based maintenance all extend the job. We plan the sequence around your ETD and tell you early if something will not close in this port call.
- GMDSS annual test and report
- typically 3-6 hours alongside
- EPIRB, SART and portable checks
- typically 1-2 hours
- Reserve battery capacity/load test
- typically 2-4 hours
- Full bridge functional verification
- typically one working day
- Attendance in Busan port areas
- same or next day, subject to load
What we need from the vessel
- Vessel alongside with safe access, plus berth area, agent details and the expected sailing time so the work can be sequenced.
- Previous survey report, GMDSS radio log, ship station licence, operator certificates and equipment manuals available on the bridge.
- Master's permission to take radio and bridge equipment out of service and to interrupt the battery charger during the load test.
- An officer or ETO present, and the radar available to transmit so SART response can be confirmed on the ship's own display.
- Steady mains supply, and access to the battery compartment, radio room and antenna deck including any locked spaces.
- For compass adjustment, a swinging window with pilot and tug arrangements booked by the vessel or its agent.
Documents issued
- NAVION check report: equipment list with makers, models and serial numbers, measured values and a pass or fail entry against each item checked.
- Defect list with part numbers, recommended action, and a note on what can realistically be closed inside the current port call.
- Battery, hydrostatic release unit and beacon expiry schedule with next due dates, for the vessel's planned maintenance system.
- Test records and photographs: insulation and VSWR readings, battery load results, SART response seen on radar, EPIRB self-test and coding.
- A clear note of items that require an approved third party: VDR performance test certificate, EPIRB shore-based maintenance, magnetic compass deviation card.
Photographs of this work are being prepared.
Frequently asked
Can NAVION issue or endorse the Radio Safety Certificate?
No. We test, repair and document. The certificate and its endorsement come from the flag administration, class, or the radio inspection body they authorize. Our check report is what the vessel presents to that inspector so the survey moves quickly and without arguments about what was actually verified.
Do you issue the VDR annual performance test certificate?
The Certificate of Compliance must come from a facility approved by the VDR manufacturer. We do the preparation and attend the test, verify the recorded channels and audio coverage, and rectify what the test finds. Tell us the VDR make and model before arrival and we will confirm what can be arranged in Busan.
Can you produce the magnetic compass deviation card?
The card is signed and issued by a licensed compass adjuster. We handle the binnacle, correctors, lighting and the surrounding bridge equipment, and coordinate the adjuster's attendance. Adjustment needs the vessel able to swing, so it has to be planned around a shifting movement or departure rather than squeezed in alongside.
Related services
GMDSS and radio equipment
Annual GMDSS testing, radio survey preparation, DSC and Inmarsat service, EPIRB and SART checks alongside in Busan.
Read moreAutopilots and magnetic compasses
Autopilot fitting and sea trial, gyro and satellite compass interfacing, compass overhaul, adjustment and a signed deviation card.
Read moreAntennas and satcom
VSAT domes, Inmarsat FBB and Iridium terminals: mounting, cable runs, alignment and commissioning, plus dismounting before drydock or sale.
Read moreSend the equipment list before arrival
Tell us the vessel, berth area in Busan and your ETA/ETD, and what the last survey flagged. We will confirm what can be checked, tested and closed in the window. info@contact-navion.com