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Maritime & Shipping vocabulary · Safety & Emergencies

EPIRB

Meaning in maritime & shipping, with examples

abbreviationCommon term

In maritime & shipping, EPIRB means: Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon: a small floating transmitter that sends a distress signal with the ship's identity and position via satellite when a ship is in trouble.

In Turkish: EPIRB, acil durum mevki bildiren radyo vericisi

How it is used

Usually mounted on the bridge wing in a float-free bracket with a hydrostatic release, so it activates automatically if the ship sinks. It transmits on 406 MHz to the Cospas-Sarsat system, and its battery and release unit have expiry dates.

Example sentences

  1. The EPIRB was activated by mistake, and the rescue centre called the ship.

  2. Check the expiry date of the EPIRB battery during the monthly inspection.

Common collocations

  • activate the EPIRB
  • float-free EPIRB
  • EPIRB battery
  • hydrostatic release unit
  • GMDSSGlobal Maritime Distress and Safety System: the international system of radio and satellite equipment and procedures that lets ships send distress alerts and receive safety information anywhere at sea.
  • liferaftAn inflatable raft, packed in a hard container on deck, that opens and fills with gas when it is thrown into the water or floats free from a sinking ship.
  • abandon shipTo leave a ship in an emergency because staying on board has become more dangerous than going into the survival craft. The order to abandon ship is given only by the master.
  • maydayThe international radio distress signal, spoken three times, used when a ship, aircraft or person is in grave and imminent danger and needs immediate help.

More terms: Safety & Emergencies

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