INTRODUCTION TO GMDSS (Global Maritime Distress And Safety System) GMDSS Overview • Changes to the 1974 International Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS) Convention were made in 1988. • Led to the introduction of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System. • The GMDSS came into force on February 1, 1992. • This new system takes advantage of modem technology to ensure immediate alerting, fast distribution, and effective communications in search and rescue operations at sea. • A major principle of the GMDSS, is that any ship, in any sea area, shall be able to operate all means of communication regarded as important to itself and other ships in the same area. GMDSS Overview GMDSS IMPLEMENTATION • 1. February 1992 The provisions relating to GMDSS in the revised 1974 SOLAS Convention came into force on February 1, 1992. This means that from this date on, ships may be equipped according to GMDSS specifications. • 1. August 1993 All ships covered by the SO LAS Convention must be provided with the following equipment: - NAVTEX RECEIVER (FEC BROADCAST RECEIVER ON 518kHz) - FLOAT-FREE SATELLITE EPIRB GMDSS Overview GMDSS IMPLEMENTATION • 1. February 1995 All new ships constructed after 1. February 1995 must be equipped GMDSS radio installations. All ships covered by the SOLAS Convention must be equipped with: - SEARCH AND RESCUE TRANSPONDERS (SART) Two (2) pieces on ships over 500 tons gross tonnage. One (1) piece on ships between 300 and 500 tons gross tonnage. - PORTABLE VHF TRANSCEIVERS Three (3) pieces on ships over 500 tons gross tonnage. Two (2) pieces on ships between 300 and 500 tons gross tonnage. GMDSS Overview GMDSS IMPLEMENTATION • 1. February 1999 ALL SHIPS SHALL BE EQUIPPED WITH COMPLETE GMDSS RADIO INSTALLATIONS. This means all ships over 300 gross tons and all passenger ships on international voyages subject to the 1974 SOLAS convention must be fully equipped with GMDSS equipment. GMDSS Overview GMDSS Old System • Ships in distress traditionally relied on other ships to come to their assistance after a distress message has been transmitted, i.e. ship to ship alerting. • All ships were, and still are, obliged to assist any vessel in distress under existing international agreements. • Although this system proved effective in congested waters it had certain limitation in less populated sea areas where restricted transmission range could be a disadvantage. GMDSS Old System GMDSS Overview GMDSS New System • The GMDSS concept overcomes some of these limitations by introducing automatic distress alerting techniques to existing terrestrial and satellite communications. • In order to ensure that the required communication functions are available at all times, duplicates of vital functions such as alerting , warning and communications are included • Such methods offer advantages for alerting shore authorities and locating vessels during emergencies while at the • Same time dispensing with the need for manual aural watch keeping. • The new system does not ignore or remove the traditional ship to ship distress alerting method described above but it does however place much greater emphasis on ship to shore distress alerting. • Under the new system, rescue authorities ashore now assume the primary role of coordinating rescue operations at sea. GMDSS New System GMDSS New System • The primary object of GMDSS is for ships in distress to alert and inform shore based authorities, usually a Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC),automatically. • These stations will then pass on warnings to ships located in that particular area. • Special systems within the GMDSS take care of inter-ship communication within the area in question. • Requirements with regard to radio equipment on board ships depend upon which sea areas the ship is sailing in. GMDSS Overview GMDSS AREAS • With GMDSS, it is the vessel's area of operation or trading pattern which determines the type of radio communication equipment fitted on board. GMDSS Overview The GMDSS defines four sea areas: • A1 -An area within the radiotelephone coverage of at least one VHF coast station in which continuous DSC alerting is available. • A2 - An area excluding sea area A 1, within the radiotelephone coverage of at least one MF coast station in which continuous DSC alerting is available. • A3 -An area excluding sea area A1 and A2 within the coverage of an Inmarsat geostationary satellite in which continuous alerting is available. • A 4 -An area outside sea areas A 1, A2 and A3. • Note: Continuous availability of alerting is required in all sea areas. GMDSS - functional requirements The GMDSS lays down nine specific functions which all ships must be able to perform, irrespective of which sea area they will be operating in. GMDSS ships at sea must be able to: a) transmit ship-to-shore distress alerts by at least two separate and independent means, each using different radio communication services b) transmit and receive ship to ship distress alerts c) receive shore to ship distress alerts d) transmit and receive SAR communications (SAR -Search And Rescue) e) transmit and receive on-scene communications - SAR communication f) transmit and receive locating signals g) receive maritime safety information (MSI) h) transmit and receive general radio communication to and from shore based radio systems or networks i) transmit and receive bridge to bridge communication. GMDSS Overview Means of Communication – definitions 1. Alerting When distress messages are sent to another ship, or to a Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC), the RCC leads and coordinates the ensuing rescue operation. Ship to ship alerting takes place on: • VHF DSC channel 70 • MF DSC 2187.5 kHz Ship to shore alerting takes place on: • VHF DSC channel 70 • MF DSC 2187.5 kHz • HF DSC 4207.5/6312.0/8414.5/12577.0116804.5 kHz • Additionally, an Inmarsat - B/C or Fleet F77 terminal can be used depending on ship's position and equipment. • As a secondary method of alerting, the Cospas/Sarsat EPIRB or VHF (DSC channel 70) EPIRB can be used. GMDSS Overview Means of Communication – definitions 2. Distress communication Distress communication by radio means the communication between the station in distress, and the station(s) involved in the search and rescue work - on-scene communications. Frequencies to be used: • Ship-ship: VHF channel 16, 06 (intership) • MF 2182kHz • Ship-aircraft: 3023kHz, 4125kHz and 5680kHz GMDSS Overview Means of Communication – definitions 3. Safety messages to ships • Safety messages to ships include navigational warnings, meteorological warnings, weather forecasts and messages of general importance. • Maritime Safety Information (MSI) messages are sent via NAVTEX, EGC (Enhanced Group Call) via International Safety Net service or by HF-telex. GMDSS Overview Means of Communication – definitions 4. Communication in general • Ordinary communication between ship stations, from ship to shore or vice versa takes place on VHF, MF, HF or the Inmarsat network by means of voice, telex or data transmissions. GMDSS Overview GMDSS: Basic Equipment minimum requirements • Part C of the SOLAS Amendments, 1988 and Part II of the Merchant Shipping (Radio Installations) Regulations 1998 provide information on the equipment required by GMDSS ships and the alternative arrangements permitted in the various sea areas. SEA AREA A1 GMDSS EQUIPMENT GMDSS EQUIPMENT SEA AREA A1+A2 SEA AREA A1+A2+A3 (INMARSAT) Additional carriage requirements for A3/A4 ships using "equipment duplication" OR GMDSS ships - Radio watch at sea Every Ship While at sea maintain a continuous watch (GMDSS): 1. Ships complying with regulations under area A1 : on VHF DSC channel 70 2. Ships complying with regulations under area A2 and A3 : on the distress and safety DSC frequency 2,187.5 kHz 3. Ships complying with regulations under area A3 and A4 : on the distress and safety DSC frequencies 2,187.5 kHz and 8,414.5 kHz and also on at least one of the distress and safety DSC frequencies 4,207.5 kHz, 6,312 kHz, 12,577 kHz or 16,804.5 kHz. GMDSS ships - Radio watch at sea 4. Ships complying with regulations under area A3 : for satellite shore-to-ship distress alerts, if the ship, fitted with an Inmarsat ship earth station. 5. Every ship, while at sea, shall maintain a radio watch for broadcasts of maritime safety information on channel 13 which such information is broadcast for the area in which the ship is navigating. 6. Every ship while at sea shall maintain, when practicable, a continuous listening watch on VHF channel 16. Maintenance requirements for GMDSS equipment • Ships may choose from the following three methods in order to ensure the availability of radio equipment: - shore based maintenance -on-board maintenance - duplication of equipment • Ships in GMDS S sea areas Al and A2 shall use one of the three methods, • While ships in GMDSS sea areas A3 and A4 shall use a combination of at least two of the above listed options. Maintenance requirements for GMDSS equipment Shore based maintenance: • The ship/shipping company should have a written agreement with a service company or be able to present a written plan/declaration showing how shore-based maintenance should be carried out. Maintenance requirements for GMDSS equipment On-board maintenance: • Qualified and authorised equipment servicing personnel must be present on board. • Spare parts and necessary instruments must be available on board for servicing mandatory equipment . Maintenance requirements for GMDSS equipment Duplication of equipment: • Duplication can be used as a method of ensuring the availability of equipment. • For further details study figure: "Addition carriage requirements for A3/A4 ships using equipment duplication". THANK YOU
