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(Adopted on 6 November 1991)
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PROMULGATION OF MARITIME SAFETY INFORMATION
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The ASSEMBLY,
RECALLING Article 15(j) of the Convention on the International Maritime Organization concerning the functions of the Assembly in relation to regulations and guidelines concerning maritime safety,
RECALLING ALSO regulation V/2 of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 (SOLAS), which establishes the requirement for promulgation information on distress dangers to navigation, NOTHING resolution A.706(17)* on the World-Wide Navigational Warning Service,
RECALLING FURTHER regulation V/4 of the 1974 SOLAS Convention which establishes the requirement for promulgation maritime meteorological information,
BEARING IN MIND the 1988 amendments to the 1974 SOLAS Convention concerning radiocommunications for the global maritime distress and safety system (GMDSS),
BEARIN IN MIND ALSO the work of the Organization in developing co-ordinated world-wide search and rescue facilities,
NOTHING ADDITIONALLY that the Organization has adopted carriage requirements and performance standards for specialized systems for receiving maritime safety information on ships subject to the 1974 SOLAS Convention, as amended,
NOTHING ALSO that some of the present means of transmitting maritime safety information will no longer be effective under the GMDSS,
NOTHING FURTHER that Governments may, at their discretion, implement and operate other additional means of promulgation of maritime safety information to meet national requirements,
RECOGNIZING that international co-operation and co-ordination are essential for the satisfactory maintenance of maritime safety information services and that such services make a vital contribution to the safety of life at sea,
HAVING CONSIDERED the recommendation made by the Maritime Safety Committee at its fifty-ninth session, |
1. RESLOVES that the procedures for the provision and promulgation of maritime safety information should be in accordance with the Recommendation on Promulgation of Maritime Safety Information set out in the annex to the present resolution;
2. URGES Governments to co-operate in providing maritime safety information in accordance with the structure established by the said Recommendation.
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Annex
RECOMMENDATION ON PROMULGATION OF MARITIME SAFETY IFORMATION
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1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 The maritime safety information service is an internationally co-ordinated network of radio broadcasts containing information which is necessary for safe navigation, received in all ships by equipment which automatically monitors the appropriate frequencies and prints out in sample English only that information which is relevant to the ship. This concept is illustrated in figure 1.
1.2 Maritime safety information (MSI) is of vital concern to all vessels. It is therefore essential that common standards are applied to the collection, editing and dissemination of this information. Only by doing so will the mariner be assured of receiving the information he needs, in a form which he understands, at the earliest possible time. |
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| 1.3 The purpose of this Recommendation is to set out the organization, standards and methods which should be used for the promulgation and reception of maritime safety information. |
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2. DEFINITIONS
2.1 For the purposes of this Recommendation, the following definitions apply: |
.1 Maritime safety information (MSI) means navigational and meteorological warnings, meteorological forecasts and other urgent safety-related messages.
.2 Maritime safety information service means the co-ordinated service of navigational and meteorological warnings, meteorological forecasts and distress alerts.
.3 World-wide navigational warnings service (WWNWS) means the internationally co-ordinated service for the promulgation of navigational warnings as set out in resolution A.706(17).
.4 Meteorological information means the marine meteorological warning and forecast information described in regulation V/4(b)(i) and (ii) of the 1974 SOLAS Convention.
.5 Distress alert means the initial shore-to-ship distress message broadcast in accordance with the Radio Regulations.
.6 NAVTEX means the system for the broadcast and automatic reception of maritime safety information by means of narrow-band direct-printing telegraphy.
.7 International NAVTEX service means the co-ordinated broadcast and automatic reception on 518 kHz of maritime safety information by means of narrow-band direct-printing telegraphy using the English language, as set out in the NAVTEX Manual, published by IMO.
.8 National NAVTEX service means the broadcast and automatic reception of maritime safety information by means of narrow-band direct-printing telegraphy using frequencies and languages as decided by the Administrations concerned.
.9 International SafetyNET service means the area-addressable global broadcast system, provided by INMARSAT, through the geostationary maritime communications satellite network for promulgation of maritime safety information.
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3. BROARCAST SERVICES
3.1 Two systems are used for broadcasting maritime safety information. They are provided specifically to serve the requirements of chapter V of the 1974 SOLAS Convention in the areas covered by these systems, as follows: |
.1 the international NAVTEX service transmissions in coastal regions; and
.2 the international SafetyNET service transmissions which cover all the waters of the globe, except for polar regions.
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3.2 Information should be provided for unique and precisely defined sea areas, each being served only by the most appropriate of the above systems. Although there will be some duplication to allow a vessel to change from one system to another, the majority of messages will only be broadcast on one system.
3.3 NAVTEX transmissions should be made in accordance with the standards and procedures set out in the NAVTEX Manual. These transmissions are subject to approval by the Maritime Safety Committee. The means of obtaining this approval is described in the NAVTEX Manual.
3.4 International SafetyNET service transmissions should be made in accordance with the standards and procedures set out in the International SafetyNET Manual.
3.5 Member Governments may also choose provide supplementary equivalent broadcasts of maritime safety information in other modes using other frequencies. These may include national NAVTEX services on 4,209.5 kHz and 490 kHz and HF NBDP broadcasts. |
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| 4. RECEPTION FACILITIES |
4.1 Ships are required to be capable of receiving maritime safety information broadcasts for the area in which they operate. This requirement is set out in chapter IV of the 1974 SOLAS Convention, as amended.
4.2 The international SafetyNET service receiving facility should conform to part A of the INMARSAT design and installation guidelines for the EGC SafetyNET equipment and should meet the performance standards adopted by the Organization by resolution A.664(16).
4.3 The NAVTEX receiver should operate in accordance with the technical specifications set out in CCIR Recommendation 540 , as amended , as should meet the performance standards adopted by the Organization by resolution A.525(13) |
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| 5. PROVISION OF INFORMATION |
5.1 Navigational warnings should be provided in accordance with the standards, organization and procedures of the WWNWS under the functional guidance of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) through its Commission on Promulgation of Radio Navigational Warnings.
5.2 Meteorological information should be provided in accordance with the technical regulations and recommendations of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
5.3 Distress alerts should be provided by the various authorities responsible for co-ordinating maritime search and rescue operations in accordance with standards and procedures established by the Organization. |
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| 6. CO-ORDINATION PROCEDURES |
6.1 In order to make the best use of automated reception facilities and to ensure that the mariner receives the minimum information necessary for safe navigation, careful co-ordination is required.
6.2 In general, this requirement for co-operation and co-ordination will be met by the standard operational procedures of IHO, WMO, International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and INMARSAT.
6.3 Cases of difficulty should be referred, in the first instance, to the most appropriate parent body.
6.4 Member States wishing to provide maritime safety information services should nominate a national co-ordinator for each type of information concerned, informing the Organization of such nominations as they are made. The Organization will maintain and, through Maritime Safety Committee, publish a list of the nominated co-ordinators.
6.5 The establishment of transmissions in the International NAVTEX service is co-ordinated by the Maritime Safety Committee. Detailed guidance on the provision of NAVTEX services is contained in the NAVTEX Manual.
6.6 The use of satellite maritime safety information services is co-ordinated by the Maritime Safety Committee.
6.7 The designation of service areas is an important part of the co-ordination process since it is intended that a vessel should be able to obtain all the information relevant to a given area from a single source. Information co-ordinators should, therefore, design their broadcast to suit a particular service area. The maritime Safety Committee will designate service areas for the international SafetyNET service and the international NAVTEX service. In doing so, the Committee will take full account of the character and volume of information and the pattern of maritime traffic in the region and the advice of IHO and WMO. |
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| 7. SYSTEM MANAGEMENT |
7.1 Proposals for amendment or enhancement of maritime safety information services should be submitted to the Maritime Safety Committee for evaluation.
7.2 The agreement of IHO, WMO and ITU, as appropriate, and the active participation of other bodies should be sought, according to the nature of the proposed amendments.
7.3 The active participation of IHO, WMO, ITU and INMARSAT is considered necessary for the co-ordination of broadcasts of all maritime safety information.
7.4 Amendments adopted by the Maritime Safety Committee will be notified to all concerning, will provide at least 12 months' notification and will come into force on 1 January of the following year. |
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