Which statement describes the power requirements for GMDSS radio installations on newly constructed ships?

• A. All newly constructed ships under GMDSS must have both emergency and reserved power sources for radio communication
• B. Only emergency power is required
• C. Only reserved power is required
• D. Power sources are not required for GMDSS installations

Answer: (A)

GMDSS installations on new ships must have two independent power sources: an emergency power source and a reserved (standby) power source. This redundancy ensures the radio equipment can continue to operate if the main power fails, providing reliable distress and safety communications. The emergency power supply is dedicated to keeping the GMDSS system running during power loss, while the reserved power provides an additional backup to maintain essential functions until power can be restored. Having only one type of backup or none would leave the system vulnerable in an outage, which is not acceptable for newly constructed ships under SOLAS requirements.