SART | The Lifesaving Device Every Ship MUST Have!

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 07:54:14 +0000

In this video, I explain how a Search and Rescue Radar Transponder (SART) helps rescuers locate ships and liferafts at sea using radar, and why it is a mandatory SOLAS Lifesaving Device Every Ship MUST Have!

Modern maritime search and rescue relies on technologies that most people never see. Radar, SART, EPIRB are used by ships, helicopters and rescue coordination centers to find survivors and vessels in vast ocean areas, even in poor visibility and heavy weather.

00:00 – What Is a SART and How Ships Are Found at Sea
00:54 – SART vs EPIRB: Ship Emergency Equipment Explained
01:23 – Where SART Is Located on a Ship and How to Deploy It
02:08 – SOLAS Requirements: Mandatory Ship Emergency Equipment
02:28 – Which Radar Detects SART: X-Band vs S-Band
02:53 – How Ships Are Found at Sea: SART Signal on Radar
03:37 – SART Detection Range in Maritime Search and Rescue
04:12 – Why SART Signals Can Be Weak or Blocked
04:43 – Best Radar Range for SART Detection
05:05 – Radar Settings for SART Detection (Step-by-Step)
05:51 – Radar Side Lobes and Their Effect on SART Detection
06:16 – How to Test Ship Emergency Equipment: SART Testing
06:41 – SART Battery Life and Operating Time Explained
07:19 – SART Design and SOLAS Performance Standards
07:58 – Using Radar Reflectors with SART: What to Know
08:20 – AIS-SART Explained: Modern Maritime Search and Rescue

For additional information:

- IMO SN/Circ. 197 -
OPERATION OF MARINE RADAR FOR SART DETECTION
-- Recommendation ITU-R M.628-5 -
Technical characteristics for search and rescue radar transponders
--- IMO RESOLUTION MSC.510(105) -
PERFORMANCE STANDARDS FOR SEARCH AND RESCUE RADAR TRANSPONDERS
---- IMO RESOLUTION MSC.246(83) -
ADOPTION OF PERFORMANCE STANDARDS FOR SURVIVAL CRAFT AIS SEARCH AND RESCUE TRANSMITTERS (AIS-SART) FOR USE IN SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS