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Piracy warnings and e-navigation on the agenda of the COMSAR Sub-Committee
From 8 to 12 March 2010, the IMO Sub-Committee on Radiocommunications and Search and Rescue (COMSAR) held its 14th session in London.
Among the main issues on the agenda were the following:
Guideline on the transmission of piracy warnings
COMSAR finalised a draft MSC Resolution entitled “Guideline on operational procedures for the promulgation of maritime safety information concerning acts of piracy and piracy counter-measure operations”. It is expected that the Resolution will be approved by the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) at its May 2010 session. The draft Resolution contained guidelines on the transmission of piracy warnings that are transmitted on the same channels as gale and navigational warnings, for example via satellite. Consequently, there was a need to draw up guidelines on what authorities are permitted to transmit such warnings and how piracy warnings should be marked.
E-navigation
At the session, a working group debated e-navigation with special focus on the design of the e-navigation system as well as communication and rescue at sea (SAR). The work was to be continued in the correspondence group that had been established under the Sub-Committee on Safety of Navigation (NAV).
As an example of the use of e-navigation, the Sub-Committee debated a proposal to simplify digital selective calls (DSC) for radiocommunication through integrated operation on the ships’ monitor equipment for AIS and ECDIS. The proposal was received positively and will be included in the ongoing work developing e-navigation.
Non-authorised distress transmitters on the market
COMSAR agreed to publish a recommendation in order to counter the problems created by the present availability of non-approved satellite distress transmitters. Distress calls from such transmitters are received in a so-called call centre and, hence, there is no real guarantee that the signal is transmitted to a rescue centre.
Consequently, the manufacturers were urged to observe the recommendations stipulated in the Circular. They were, for example, the conclusion of agreements with rescue centres, the recording of users, the training of call centre operators, etc.
Man-Over-Board equipment
Equipment had been launched on the market capable of transmitting an automatic telephone distress call (Mayday) on VHF channel 16, for example in man-over-board situations. The distress call was repeated automatically and could not be stopped straight away, which could give rise to prolonged disturbances. Consequently, COMSAR adopted guidelines for such equipment to be submitted to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), which was dealing with this issue.
In addition, COMSAR approved amendments to a number of radio-related documents:
- International SafetyNet Manual;
- Questionnaire on shore-based facilities in GMDSS;
- Revised Performance Standard for EGC receivers;
- List of NAV Area coordinators, amendments to the IAMSAR manual;
- Guidelines on the numbering of portable VHF radio systems with DSC;
- The IMO’s position at the ITU World Radio Conference (WRC) in 2012, discontinuation of Inmarsat-B in 2014;
- Draft MSC Circular on Radio Medical in connection with ocean yacht races.
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