🔍 Key Concepts

• GMDSS maintenance options (how many types and what they are) • Different requirements based on vessel size and type (300–500 GT, >500 GT, passenger vessels) • Special provisions for Sea Area A4 vs other sea areas

💭 Think About

• First, recall from your studies: how many official GMDSS maintenance options are recognized by SOLAS, and what are they called? • Think about whether the number of maintenance options required changes with gross tonnage and whether passenger vessels have stricter requirements. • For Sea Area A4, what is special about the equipment and support required, and does the rule talk about a specific license type that must be carried, or about how maintenance is provided?

✅ Before You Answer

• Verify the exact list of maintenance options recognized under GMDSS (wording matters). • Check the tonnage thresholds and passenger vessel rules in SOLAS/46 CFR for how many maintenance options must be provided. • Confirm whether the rules for Sea Area A4 refer to a required number of licensed maintainers on board, or to specific maintenance methods/equipment instead.