Navigation (Wireless Telegraphy) Regulations 1924

Legislation au C1924L00072 Regulations Not in force Legislative Instrument

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STATUTORY RULES.

1924. No. 72.

REGULATIONS UNDER THE NAVIGATION ACT 1912-1920.

I, THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby make the following Regulations under the Navigation Act 1912-1920, to come into operation forthwith.

Dated this eighth day of May, 1924.

FORSTER,

Governor-General.

By His Excellency’s Command,

AUSTIN CHAPMAN,

Minister of State for Trade and Customs.

Navigation (Wireless Telegraphy) Regulations.

Short title.

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Navigation (Wireless Telegraphy) Regulations 1924.

Definitions.

2. In these Regulations, unless the contrary intention appears—

“automatic apparatus” means an automatic apparatus approved by the Board of Trade of the United Kingdom;

“on watch” means on watch in the wireless telegraph room of the ship;

“signal of distress” means the wireless distress call as specified in Schedule IV. to the Act; and

“the Act” means the Navigation Act 1912-1920.

Application of Regulations.

3. (1) Subject to the next succeeding sub-regulation, these Regulations shall apply to ships (British and foreign) of the classes enumerated in the next succeeding Regulation which—

(a) carry more than twelve passengers; or

(b) are of sixteen hundred tons gross registered tonnage or upwards.

(2) These Regulations shall not apply to—

(a) river and bay ships;

(b) limited coast-trade ships which do not trade beyond 100 nautical miles from principal port of departure; or

(c) ships not registered in Australia (other than ships regularly employed in trading in or from the Commonwealth and managed or controlled in the Commonwealth) unless they take on board, at a port in the Commonwealth, passengers to be conveyed to another port, within or without the Commonwealth.

C.6365.—Price 3d.

Classification of ships.

4. (1) For the purposes of these Regulations ships shall be classified as follows:—

Class I.—Australian-trade and foreign-going ships carrying 200 or more persons;

Class II.—(a) Australian-trade and foreign-going ships carrying 50 but less than 200 persons; and

(b) Limited coast-trade ships carrying 50 or more persons; and

Class III.—Ships carrying less than 50 persons:

Provided that, notwithstanding anything contained in this regulation, until otherwise prescribed the following ships shall be deemed to be classified in Class III.—

(a) Australian-trade and limited coast-trade ships; and

(b) foreign-going ships, when actually carrying less than two hundred persons, including passengers and crew, and proceeding between ports of call in the Commonwealth.

(2) In computing, for the purposes of this regulation, the number of persons carried by a ship, there shall be included the normal crew of the ship and the maximum number of passengers provided for in the passenger certificate (if any) of the ship.

Ships which are required to be provided with installations.

5. Those ships only to which these Regulations apply shall be ships which are required to be provided with a wireless telegraph installation, to maintain a wireless telegraph service and to be provided with certificated operators and watchers in accordance with section 231 of the Act.

Nature of installation.

6. (1) The wireless telegraph installation with which ships are to be provided in accordance with section 231 of the Act shall comply with the requirements of the International Radiotelegraph Convention, 1912, as modified by any other international agreement (and in particular the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1914), or of any international agreement superseding the International Radiotelegraph Convention, 1912.

(2) In the event of an automatic apparatus for registering the signal of distress being approved by the Board of Trade of the United Kingdom, a ship of Class III. shall be provided, in addition, with such an apparatus unless the normal duration of the voyage of the ship from one port of call to the next does not exceed eight hours.

Type of installation.

7. The installation shall be of the spark or interrupted continuous wave type.

Extent of installation.

8. (1) The installation shall include a normal installation and an emergency installation, except that where the normal installation complies with the requirements of this regulation as to emergency installations as well as the requirements as to normal installations a normal installation alone shall suffice.

(2) A normal installation must be capable of transmitting, by day, under normal conditions and circumstances, clearly perceptible signals from ship to ship over a range of at least 100 nautical miles.

(3) An emergency installation must include an independent source of energy capable of being put into operation rapidly and of working for at least six continuous hours with a minimum range from ship to ship of 80 nautical miles for ships of Class I., and 50 nautical miles for ships of Classes II. and III., and the independent source of energy must be capable of being worked for at least six continuous hours independently from the source of propelling power for the ship, the steam supply system and the main electricity supply system.

(4) For the purposes of this regulation an installation shall be deemed to comply with the requirements of this regulation as to range if it is able to maintain, over sea, by day, with a Post Office Standard Station when employing a receiver without amplification devices, communication on a 600-metre wave at a range of one and a half times the number of nautical miles respectively prescribed by this regulation.

Communication between bridge and wireless telegraph room.

9. There shall be provided, between the bridge and the wireless telegraph room, means of communication by voice pipe, telephone or other means approved by the Director of Navigation, and an operator or watcher when on duty shall not leave the wireless telegraph room to deliver messages or to call his relief.

Ships not fitted with approved automatic apparatus.

10. If not fitted with an automatic apparatus for registering the signal of distress—

(i) a ship of Class I. shall carry certificated operators in accordance with the following table, and while the ship is at sea a certificated operator shall be always on watch:—

Nature of Voyage.	Number and Grade of Operators.
(a) Voyage exceeding 48 hours from port to port		Three operators, of whom one shall hold a First Grade Certificate, and not more than one a Third Grade Certificate.
(b) Voyage exceeding 8 hours but not exceeding 48 hours from port to port		Two operators, of whom one shall hold a First or a Second Grade Certificate.
(c) Voyage not exceeding 8 hours from port to port		One operator, who shall hold a First or a Second Grade Certificate.

(ii) a ship of Class II. shall carry certificated operators and certificated watchers in accordance with the following table, and while the ship is at sea a certificated operator shall always be on watch at the times specified in the

Schedule to these Regulations, and either a certificated operator or a certificated watcher shall always be on watch at other times:—

Nature of Voyage.	Number and Grade of Operators.
(a) Voyage exceeding 48 hours from port to port		One operator, who shall hold a First or a Second Grade Certificate, and two watchers.
(b) Voyage exceeding 8 hours but not exceeding 48 hours from port to port		One operator, who shall hold a First or a Second Grade Certificate, and one watcher.
(c) Voyage not exceeding 8 hours from port to port		One operator, who shall hold a First or a Second Grade Certificate.

(iii) a ship of Class III. shall carry one operator who shall hold a First or a Second Grade Certificate, and while the ship is at sea the operator shall always be on watch at the times specified in the Schedule to these Regulations:

Provided that if the duration of the voyage on which the ship is employed does not exceed eight hours from port to port the operator shall be on watch during the whole time of the voyage.

Ships fitted with approved automatic apparatus.

11. If fitted with an automatic apparatus for registering the signal of distress—

(i) a ship of Class I. shall carry certificated operators in accordance with the following table, and while the ship is at sea a certificated operator shall always be on watch during the times specified in the Schedule to these Regulations, and a watch shall be maintained in the wireless telegraph room on the ship at all other times either by a certificated operator, or by a watcher, or by means of the automatic apparatus:—

Nature of Voyage.	Number and Grade of Operators.
(a) Voyage exceeding 48 hours from port to port		Two operators, one of whom shall hold a First Grade Certificate.
(b) Voyage not exceeding 48 hours from port to port		One operator, who shall hold a First or a Second Grade Certificate.

(ii) a ship of Class II. or III. shall carry one operator, who shall hold a First or a Second Grade Certificate, and while the ship is at sea the operator shall be on watch during the times specified in the Schedule to these Regulations, and a watch shall be maintained in the wireless telegraph room on the ship at all other times either by an operator, or by a watcher, or by means of the automatic apparatus;

Provided that if a ship of Class III. is fitted with an automatic apparatus for registering the signal of distress and with an automatic apparatus for registering the ship’s own distinguishing signal, the operator shall not, while

the ship is more than 150 nautical miles from any coast station, be required to be on watch at the times specified in the Schedule to these Regulations.

Duration of voyage.

12. For the purposes of the last two preceding regulations, the number of hours occupied in a voyage from port to port means the normal number of hours occupied in a voyage between one port of call and the next.

Qualifications of operators and watchers.

13. (1) For the purposes of these Regulations—

(a) an operator shall be deemed to hold a First Grade Certificate if he holds a First Class Certificate of Proficiency issued by the Postmaster-General under the Wireless Telegraphy Regulations 1920 (being Statutory Rules 1920, No. 256), or under any regulations superseding those regulations, made under the Wireless Telegraph Act 1905-1919, and has had at least three years’ experience as an operator;

(b) an operator shall be deemed to hold a Second Grade Certificate if he holds a First or Second Class Certificate of Proficiency so issued by the Postmaster-General, and has had at least one year’s experience as an operator:

Provided that, where it is shown to the satisfaction of the Director of Navigation that a sufficiency of operators holding First or Second Class Certificates of Proficiency issued by the Postmaster-General and having at least one year’s experience as an operator are not available in the Commonwealth, he may, to the extent of the deficiency in numbers of such operators, by writing under his hand, permit of the employment, as Second Grade Operators, of persons holding First or Second Class Certificates of Proficiency but with less than one year’s experience as operators, and such persons so employed shall be deemed to be Second Grade Operators for the purposes of these Regulations;

(c) an operator shall be deemed to hold a Third Grade Certificate if he holds a First or Second Class Certificate of Proficiency so issued by the Postmaster-General, and has had less than one year’s experience as an operator; and

(d) a watcher means a watcher certificated by the Postmaster-General, or by the Government of any part of His Majesty’s Dominions or of a foreign country in pursuance of the regulations annexed to any International Radiotelegraph Convention for the time being in force.

(2) First, Second or Third Grade Certificates, or equivalent certificates, granted to operators by the Government of any part of His Majesty’s Dominions or of a foreign country in pursuance of the Regulations annexed to any International Radiotelegraph Convention for the time being in force, shall be accepted as First, Second or Third Grade Certificates within the meaning of these Regulations.

Repeal.

14. The Navigation (Wireless Telegraphy) Regulations, being Statutory Rules 1921, No. 104, as amended by Statutory Rules 1921, Nos. 132, 179 and 217; 1922, No. 143; and 1923, No. 96, are hereby repealed.

Schedule.

Times of Watch for Ships Required to Carry One or Two Operators.

Zones.	Western Limit.	Eastern Limit.	Times of Watch for One Operator, Greenwich Mean Time.*	Times of Watch for Two Operators, Greenwich Mean Time.*
A.
Eastern Atlantic, Mediterranean, North Sea, Baltic, Western Arctic Sea	Meridian of 30° W.; Coast of Greenland	Meridian of 30° E. to the South of the Coast of Africa; Eastern Limit of Mediterranean, Black Sea, and of the Baltic; 30° E. to the North of Coast of Norway	From 8h. to 10h.	From 0h. to 6h.
			„ 12h. „ 14h.	„ 8h. „ 14h.
			„ 16h. „ 18h.	„ 16h. „ 18h.
			„ 20h. „ 22h.	„ 20h. „ 22h.

B.
Indian Ocean, Eastern Arctic Sea	Eastern Limit of Zone A	Meridian of 90° E.	From 4h. to 6h.	From 0h. to 2h.
			„ 8h. „ 10h.	„ 4h. „ 10h.
			„ 12h. „ 14h.	„ 12h. „ 14h.
			„ 16h. „ 18h.	„ 16h. „ 18h.
				„ 20h. „ 24h.
C.
China Sea, Western Pacific Ocean	Eastern Limit of Zone B	Meridian of 160° E.	From 0h. to 2h.	From 0h. to 6h.
			„ 4h. „ 6h.	„ 8h. „ 10h.
			„ 8h. „ 10h.	„ 12h. „ 14h.
			„ 12h. „ 14h.	„ 16h. „ 22h.
D.
Central Pacific Ocean	Eastern Limit of Zone C	Meridian of 140° W.	From 0h. to 2h.	From 0h. to 2h.
			„ 4h. „ 6h.	„ 4h. „ 6h.
			„ 8h. „ 10h.	„ 8h. „ 10h.
			„ 20h. „ 22h.	„ 12h. „ 18h.
				„ 20h. „ 24h.
E.
Eastern Pacific Ocean	Eastern Limit of Zone D	Meridian of 70° W. to the South of the Coast of America; West Coast of America	From 0h. to 2h.	From 0h. to 2h.
			„ 4h. „ 6h.	„ 4h. „ 6h.
			„ 16h. „ 18h.	„ 6h. „ 14h.
			„ 20h. „ 22h.	„ 16h. „ 22h.

F.
Western Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico	Meridian of 70° W. to the South of the Coast of America; East Coast of America	Meridian of 30° W.; Coast of Greenland	From 0h. to 2h.	From 0h. to 2h.
			„ 12h. „ 14h.	„ 4h. „ 10h.
			„ 16h. „ 18h.	„ 12h. „ 18h.
			„ 20h. „ 22h.	„ 20h. „ 22h.

* Note.— Following the practice adopted in the Merchant Shipping (Wireless Telegraphy) Rules 1920, issued by the Board of Trade under the Merchant Shipping (Wireless Telegraphy) Act 1919, Greenwich Mean Time is, for the purposes of this Schedule, reckoned from midnight, and not from midday.

Provided that, until otherwise prescribed, the times of watch for operators on Australian-trade and limited coast-trade ships to which these Regulations apply may, in lieu of those set out in this Schedule, and at the option of the owner, be in accordance with the provisions of the agreement between the Commonwealth Steam-ship Owners’ Association and others, of the one part, and the Radio-Telegraphists’ (Marine) Institute of Australasia, of the other part, dated the 29th March, 1920, certified in the Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration on 22nd September, 1920, or of any award of that Court, or agreement certified in that Court, superseding that agreement.

Printed and Published for the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia by Albert J. Mullett, Government Printer for the State of Victoria.

Overview

The Navigation (Wireless Telegraphy) Regulations 1924 were enacted to establish and regulate the use of wireless telegraphy on ships in Australia, thereby enhancing maritime safety and communication. These Regulations were made under the authority of the Navigation Act 1912-1920 by the Governor-General in Council, acting on the advice of the Minister of State for Trade and Customs. The primary policy objective was to ensure that ships, particularly those engaged in longer voyages and carrying more passengers, were equipped with reliable wireless installations to facilitate distress communications and adherence to international maritime safety standards. These Regulations aimed to address the problem of inadequate communication systems on ships, which could potentially endanger lives at sea by limiting the ability to send and receive distress signals efficiently.

Scope and Application

The Navigation (Wireless Telegraphy) Regulations 1924 apply to ships carrying more than twelve passengers or with a gross registered tonnage of 1600 tons or upwards, excluding river and bay ships, limited coast-trade ships that do not trade beyond 100 nautical miles from their principal port of departure, and foreign ships not registered in Australia unless they take on passengers at an Australian port. These regulations mandate that applicable ships must be equipped with wireless telegraph installations compliant with the International Radiotelegraph Convention, 1912, or any subsequent international agreements. The regulations classify ships into three classes based on passenger capacity and specify the requirements for wireless telegraph installations, including normal and emergency installations. Furthermore, these regulations stipulate the qualifications for wireless telegraph operators and watchers, categorising them into First, Second, and Third Grade Certificates based on their experience and proficiency. The regulations also detail the communication protocols between the ship’s bridge and the wireless telegraph room and set out the number of operators and watchers required based on the ship's class and voyage duration, depending on whether the ship is fitted with an automatic apparatus for registering distress signals. These regulations effectively aim to ensure the safety and communication efficacy of maritime transport within the specified scope.

Key Provisions

The Navigation (Wireless Telegraphy) Regulations 1924 (hereafter "the Regulations") establish the requirements for wireless telegraph installations on ships, particularly focusing on safety and communication at sea. These Regulations apply to ships carrying more than twelve passengers or with a gross registered tonnage of sixteen hundred tons or more, except for certain exemptions such as river and bay ships, limited coast-trade ships operating within 100 nautical miles from their principal port of departure, and foreign ships not registered in Australia unless they embark passengers in Australian ports (Section 3). Ships are classified into three categories based on the number of persons carried, with Class I ships carrying 200 or more persons, Class II ships carrying 50 to 199 persons, and Class III ships carrying fewer than 50 persons (Section 4). Only ships falling under Classes I and II are required to be provided with wireless telegraph installations, maintain wireless telegraph services, and have certificated operators and watchers on duty (Section 5). The installations must adhere to the International Radiotelegraph Convention, 1912, and any subsequent international agreements (Section 6). The wireless telegraph installations must be of the spark or interrupted continuous wave type and must include both normal and emergency installations. The normal installation must allow for communication over at least 100 nautical miles, while the emergency installation must have an independent energy source capable of operating for six continuous hours with specified ranges (Sections 7 and 8). Communication between the bridge and the wireless telegraph room must be established, and operators must not leave the room to deliver messages or call for relief (Section 9). Depending on the class of the ship and whether it is fitted with an approved automatic apparatus for registering distress signals, the number and qualifications of operators and watchers required on board vary. For instance, Class I ships must have a specific number of operators on duty based on the duration of the voyage, with at least one operator holding a First Grade Certificate if the voyage exceeds 48 hours (Section 10). If a ship is fitted with an approved automatic apparatus, the number of operators required decreases, but a watch must still be maintained in the wireless telegraph room (Section 11). Operators must hold specific certificates of proficiency and have the requisite experience, and watchers must be certificated by the appropriate authorities (Section 13). Failure to comply with these Regulations may result in legal consequences, although the specific penalties are not detailed in the provided excerpt. However, general maritime laws and subsequent regulations might impose penalties for non-compliance with safety and communication requirements at sea.

Instrument: Regulation
Concepts: Definitions & Interpretation; Regulatory Standards; Licensing & Registration

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Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.

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