Self-deploying EPIRBs will become a mandatory requirement onboard certain commercial vessels, as part of new marine safety laws announced by AMSA (Australian Maritime Safety Authority).

The National Standard for Commercial Vessels will change from January 1st 2019, with a two year transition period for Boat operators to comply.

The laws come in response to recent incidents where crews were not able to deploy their EPIRBs as their vessels sank too quickly.

The new self-deploying EPIRBs are designed to activate automatically when submerged, allowing them to then float to the surface and send a distress signal immediately.

"If a vessel rapidly capsizes or sinks, the survival of the passengers and crew depends on the transmission of a distress signal,” said AMSA general manager of standards Brad Groves.

"A float-free auto-activating EPIRB can send a call for help within minutes of being submerged in water, without any action by the crew.”

"We're always looking at ways to improve safety across all types of vessels, and certainly recent tragic incidents have escalated our views and our desire to upgrade safety equipment," he said.

Leading the charge is Australian manufacturer GME, with their MT603FG 406MHz self-deploying EPIRB – one of the first self-deploying EPIRBs to hit the market.

You can check out the MT603FG here.

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