ITU Guidance for Administrations
ITU-BR Guidance for Administrations on Maritime Radiocommunications - 1 October 2014
1
ITU Guidance for Administrations
Index
•
General Information
•
•
•
ITU Radio Regulations
•
•
•
Definitions – maritime
Relevant Articles
Service Publications
•
•
•
What is a ship station?
Radiocommunication equipment on board a ship
List IV – List of Coast stations and Special Service Stations
List V – List of Ship Stations and Maritime Mobile Service Identity Assignments
Ship Radio License
•
•
Recommendation 7 of the RR
Examples of a ship radio license
•
Notification of ship stations to the Radiocommunication Bureau
•
MARS - Maritime mobile Access and Retrieval System
•
•
How to retrieve notified information concerning a ship station
Live demonstration - accessing the ITU MARS webpage
ITU-BR Guidance for Administrations on Maritime Radiocommunications - 1 October 2014
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General Information
What is a ship station?
A ship station is a mobile station
in the maritime mobile service
located on board a vessel which
is not permanently moored,
other than a survival craft
station.
ITU-BR Guidance for Administrations on Maritime Radiocommunications - 1 October 2014
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General Information
Radiocommunication equipment on board a ship
Installed for different purposes:
1. To comply with national and international regulations (i.e. GMDSS, Safety of navigation,
vessel tracking and routing systems, etc.).
• SOLAS vessels - ships complying with 1974 SOLAS Convention as amended:
 Equipment based on full GMDSS requirements as laid out in the ITU RR Articles, Chapter VII and
IX.
• Commercial vessels over 300 tons and all internationally trading passenger ships:
 Equipment based on full GMDSS requirements as laid out in the ITU RR Articles, Chapter VII and
IX.
• Non-SOLAS Vessels:
 Guidelines established in MSC/Circ. 803 and Res MSC.131(75).
 Are recommended to carry VHF DSC equipment and maintain Channel 16 and DSC watch.
 When operating at sea are recommended to carry EPIRB and other communications equipment
appropriate to their sea of operation, such as near coastal waters or at sea, as well as being
capable of receiving maritime safety information.
• Fishing vessels:
 Of 24 meters in length or over, simplified GMDSS requirements are detailed in the FAO/ILO/IMO
Code of Safety for Fishermen and Fishing vessels, 2005.
 Of 12 meter in length or over, Voluntary guidance is given in FAO/ILO/IMO Voluntary Guidelines
for the design, Construction and Equipment of Small Fishing Vessels, 2005.
ITU-BR Guidance for Administrations on Maritime Radiocommunications - 1 October 2014
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General Information
Radiocommunication equipment on board a ship
2. Commercial purposes
 Radiotelephony equipment normally can be used for:
• Distress and Safety communications (GMDSS)
• Commercial communications - (i.e. may use VHF/MF/HF or via Satellite systems).
 Satellite systems: allows connection to the internet-broadband, to make phone calls and data exchange
worldwide.
3. Points for consideration
 VHF/MF/HF has a lower cost than satellite communications.
 Appendix 17 and 18 of the ITU Radio Regulations establish the frequencies in maritime
radiocommunications, VHF, MF/HF.
 Articles 46 to 58 (Maritime Services) of the RR establish the GMDSS operational procedures.
 Accounting Authorities-these are companies or telecommunication organisation’s authorized by the
administrations to manage payments for communications. (ITU-T Recommendation. D.90).
ITU-BR Guidance for Administrations on Maritime Radiocommunications - 1 October 2014
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ITU Radio Regulations
ITU-BR Guidance for Administrations on Maritime Radiocommunications - 1 October 2014
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Definitions
 ship station: A mobile station in the maritime mobile service located on board a vessel which is
not permanently moored, other than a survival craft station. (RR 1.77)
 mobile station: A station in the mobile service intended to be used while in motion or during halts
at unspecified points. (RR 1.67)
 station: One or more transmitters or receivers or a combination of transmitters and receivers,
including the accessory equipment, necessary at one location for carrying on a radiocommunication
service, or the radio astronomy service. (RR 1.61)
 coast station: A land station in the maritime mobile service. (RR 1.75)
 land station: A station in the mobile service not intended to be used while in motion. (RR 1.69)
 survival craft station: A mobile station in the maritime mobile service or the aeronautical mobile
service intended solely for survival purposes and located on any lifeboat, life-raft or other survival
equipment. (RR 1.65)

maritime mobile service: A mobile service between coast stations and ship stations,
or between ship stations, or between associated on-board communication stations; survival
craft stations and emergency position-indicating radiobeacon stations may also participate
in this service. (RR 1.28)

mobile service: A radiocommunication service between mobile and land stations, or
between mobile stations (CV). (RR 1.24)
ITU-BR Guidance for Administrations on Maritime Radiocommunications - 1 October 2014
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Ship station - Identification
(Article 19 of the RR)
Note:
1. All transmissions shall be capable of being identified either by identification signals or by
other means;
2. All transmissions in the mobile services should carry identification signals;
3. All transmissions with false or misleading identification are prohibited;
• In transmissions carrying identification signals a station shall be identified by a call sign, by a
maritime mobile service identity (MMSI) or by other recognized means of identification;
• All stations open to international public correspondence, all amateur stations, and other
stations which are capable of causing harmful interference beyond the boundaries of the
territory or geographical area in which they are located, shall have call signs from the
international series allocated to its administration as given in the Table of Allocation of
International Call Sign Series in Appendix 42.
• As the need arises, ship stations and ship earth stations to which the provisions of Chapter IX
apply, and coast stations, coast earth stations, or other non-ship-borne stations capable of
communicating with such ship stations, shall have assigned to them maritime mobile service
identities (MMSI) in accordance with Section VI of this Article.
ITU-BR Guidance for Administrations on Maritime Radiocommunications - 1 October 2014
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Ship station – Call sign
(Article 19 of the RR)
1. Each administration shall choose the call signs from the international series allocated to it;
2. Administrations should not assign the same call sign to two different ship stations under their
jurisdiction.
Formation of call signs:
•
Call signs in the international series are formed, for ship stations, as indicated in Nos. 19.54 to 19.55. The first
two characters shall be two letters or a letter followed by a digit or a digit followed by a letter;
•
19.54 Ship stations
•
19.55 § 24
− two characters and two letters, or
− two characters, two letters and one digit (other than the digits 0 or 1), or
− two characters (provided that the second is a letter) followed by four digits (other than the digits 0 or 1
in cases where they immediately follow a letter), or
− two characters and one letter followed by four digits (other than the digits 0 or 1 in cases where they
immediately follow a letter).
•
Example: Call signs assigned by the administration of Switzerland (Call sign series for Switzerland:
HBA-HBZ):
•
19.55 § 24
− two characters and two letters: HBAA, HBAB, HBAC
− two characters, two letters and one digit (other than the digits 0 or 1): HBAA2, HBAA9
− two characters (provided that the second is a letter) followed by four digits (other than the digits 0 or 1
in cases where they immediately follow a letter): HB2000, HB2010, HB9999
− two characters and one letter followed by four digits (other than the digits 0 or 1 in cases where they
immediately follow a letter): HBA2000, HBA2010, HBA9999
ITU-BR Guidance for Administrations on Maritime Radiocommunications - 1 October 2014
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Ship station – Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI)
(Article 19 of the RR)
1. Each administration shall choose the maritime mobile service identities (MMSI) of its stations from
the maritime identification digits call signs from the international series allocated to it;
2. Administrations should not assign the same MMSI to two different ship stations under their
jurisdiction;
3. Administrations should ensure that when ships move from the flag of registration of one
administration to that of another administration, all of the assigned means of ship station
identification, including the MMSI, are reassigned as appropriate.
Formation of MMSI (Recommendation ITU-R M.585-6):
• Maritime mobile service identities are formed of a series of nine digits which are transmitted over the
radio path in order to uniquely identify ship stations, ship earth stations, coast stations, coast earth
stations, and other non-shipborne stations operating in the maritime mobile service or the maritime
mobile-satellite service, and group calls.;
• When a station operating in the maritime mobile service or the maritime mobile-satellite service is
required to use maritime mobile service identities, the responsible administration shall assign
the identity to the station in accordance with the provisions described in Annex 1 of
Recommendation ITU-R M.585-6. identities.
• Ships participating in the maritime radio services should be assigned a nine digit unique ship
station identity in the format M1I2D3X4X5X6X7X8X9 where in the first three digits represent the
Maritime Identification Digits (MID) and X is any figure from 0 to 9. The MID denotes the
administration having jurisdiction over the ship station so identified.
•
Example: MMSI assigned by the administration of Switzerland ( MID for Switzerland: 269)
M1I2D3X4X5X6X7X8X9: 269100000, 269710000 269990000
ITU-BR Guidance for Administrations on Maritime Radiocommunications - 1 October 2014
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Radio Regulations (RR) - Article 20
ITU Service Publications (maritime)
 The ITU Service Publications (maritime) are issued, by the ITU, in
accordance with the provisions 20.7, 20.8 and 20.14 of the Radio
Regulations. These publications are:
List IV – List of Coast Stations and Special Service Stations (20.7)
List V – List of Ship Stations and Maritime Mobile Service Identity
Assignments (20.8)
Manual for Use by the Maritime Mobile and
Maritime Mobile-Satellite Services (20.14)
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Radio Regulations (RR) - Article 20
ITU maritime online information system
 The maritime online information system (MARS) is made available in
accordance with provision 20.14A
Maritime mobile Access and Retrieval System
http://www.itu.int/ITU-R/go/mars/en
 Both the ITU maritime Service Publications as well as MARS are
conceived and structured to provide information:
 deemed essential for proper and safe functioning of
radiocommunications services; and
 to assist in enhancing maritime safety.
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Radio Regulations (RR) - Article 20
ITU Service Publications (maritime )
 The accuracy of the data disseminated depends on the information notified.
 To ensure that the data is up to date and accurate, WRC-07 decided to
reinforce the obligation of administrations to notify and revised provision
20.16 of the RR as follows:
“Administrations shall take all appropriate measures to notify the
Radiocommunication Bureau immediately of any changes in the
operational information contained in Lists IV and V, in view of the
importance of this information, particularly with regard to safety.
In the case of the data published in List V, which is also made
available online through MARS, administrations shall communicate
those changes at least once a month. In the case of other
publications, administrations shall communicate the changes in the
information contained in them as soon as possible. “
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List of Coast Stations and Special Service Stations
(List IV)
 This Service Publication is prepared and issued, once every two years, by
the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), in accordance with
provision No. 20.7 of the Radio Regulations (RR).
 The source of data published in this List are the administrations of the
Member states of the ITU.
 The carriage requirements, of this List on board ships, are stipulated in
Appendix 16 to the RR.
 Changes to operational information and station particulars contained in
this List are to be notified immediately to the Radiocommunication
Bureau (BR) by administrations, as provided for in provision No. 20.16 of
the RR.
 Updates notified are made available via the BR MARS webpage, on a
weekly basis.
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List of Coast Stations and Special Service Stations
(List IV)
 This List is made of two parts:
 Booklet:
 Preface in the six working languages of the ITU
 Consolidated allocation list of Maritime Identification Digits
(MID), call sign series, blocks of coast station identification
numbers, blocks of selective call numbers for ship stations
and selective call numbers for groups of ship stations
allocated to administrations and/or geographical areas.
 Coast stations participating in the NAVTEX services
(coordinated by the International Maritime Organization
(IMO)).
 Allotment plans for national channels in the Digital
Selective Calling (DSC) system in the bands 435–526.5 kHz
and 1606.5–2160 kHz in Region 1
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List of Coast Stations and Special Service Stations
(List IV)
 CD-ROM (in pdf format):
 Coast stations participating in MF, HF and VHF watchkeeping using DSC techniques
 Stations transmitting medical advice
 Rescue Coordination Centers (RCC, MRCC, JRCC ..)
 Coast stations transmitting to ships navigational and
meteorological warnings and urgent information
(MSI)
 Coast stations providing a public correspondence
service
 Pilot and Port stations
 Coast earth stations
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List of Coast Stations and Special Service Stations
(List IV)
- Example of data published -
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List of Coast Stations and Special Service Stations
(List IV)
- Notification of data  All notifications should be addressed to:
The Director of Radiocommunication Bureau-ITU, Place des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland
Direct Telefax. No.: +41 22 730 5785, Email: brmail@itu.int
Note: Currently, we do not use the WISFAT facility for the notification of coast stations
 A link providing administrations with the possibility to download, as an
MS WORD formatted file, all their registered stations using a username
and password:
http://www.itu.int/ITU-R/go/mars-download/en
 Administrations are requested to review the data, on a regular basis, and
return it to the BR with “revision marks” to indicate the relevant
amendments.
 A link to the relevant notifications forms and other related information,
for the notification process, have been incorporated into MARS:
http://www.itu.int/ITU-R/go/mars/en
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List of Coast Stations and Special Service Stations
(List IV)
- Notification of data Example of a notification form:
DSC-WATCH - Coast stations participating in MF, HF and VHF watch-keeping using
digital selective calling techniques
Page 2
Page 1
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List of Coast Stations and Special Service Stations
(List IV)
- Notification of data  A link to the relevant notifications forms:
http://www.itu.int/en/ITU-R/terrestrial/mars/Pages/Notificationforms.aspx
(These forms can also be obtained, upon request, from the Radiocommunication Bureau.)
List of Ship Stations and Maritime
Mobile Service Identity Assignments (List V)
 Contains information that serves as an aid to rescue co-ordination
centers in their search and rescue activities, thus enhancing the safety of
life at sea.
 This List is a service publication prepared and issued, once a year, by the
International Telecommunication Union (ITU), in accordance with
provision No. 20.8 of the Radio Regulations (RR).
 The source of data published in this List are the administrations of the
Member states of the ITU.
 Changes to operational information and station particulars contained in
this List are to be notified immediately to the Radiocommunication
Bureau (BR) by administrations, as provided for in provision No. 20.16 of
the RR.
 All updates notified are made available via
the BR MARS webpage, on a weekly basis
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List of Ship Stations and Maritime
Mobile Service Identity Assignments (List V)
 This List is made of two parts:
 Booklet:
 Preface in the six working languages of the ITU
 Consolidated allocation list of Maritime Identification Digits
(MID), call sign series, blocks of coast station identification
numbers, blocks of selective call numbers for ship stations
and selective call numbers for groups of ship stations
allocated to administrations and/or geographical areas.
 Reference Tables

Names of administrations/Geographical areas (in alphabetical order of
symbols).

Statistics, by administration/geographical area symbol, of the number
of ship stations, coast stations and Search and Rescue (SAR) aircraft,
the number of MMSI notified and the date of receipt of the most
recent notification

Symbols that designate classes of ships
and other abbreviations.
2
List of Ship Stations and Maritime
Mobile Service Identity Assignments (List V)
 CD-ROM:
 In pdf format:
All ship stations assigned an MMSI
All other ship stations
All coast stations assigned an MMSI
All search and rescue aircraft (SAR) assigned an MMSI
MMSI and/or call signs assigned to a group of ship
stations
Contact information of Accounting Authorities
 In database format
All ship stations along with a software interface similar to
the ITU Maritime mobile Access and Retrieval System
(MARS)
2
List of Ship Stations and Maritime
Mobile Service Identity Assignments (List V)
- Example of data published -
2
List of Ship Stations and Maritime
Mobile Service Identity Assignments (List V)
- Notification of data  All notifications should be addressed to:
The Director of Radiocommunication Bureau-ITU, Place des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland
Direct Telefax. No.: +41 22 730 5785, Email: brmail@itu.int
Note: Currently, we do not use the WISFAT facility for the notification of ship stations
 A link providing administrations with the possibility to download all their
registered stations using a username and password:
http://www.itu.int/ITU-R/go/mars-download/en
 Administrations are requested to review the data, on a regular basis and
notify all amendments (additions, modifications and/or deletions) to the
BR
 A link to the relevant notifications forms and other related information,
for the notification process, have been incorporated into MARS:
http://www.itu.int/ITU-R/go/mars/en
2
List of Ship Stations and Maritime
Mobile Service Identity Assignments (List V)
- Notification of data  There are two methods for notifying data (ref. BR Circular Letter CM/18
dated 28 Nov. 2008)
1. Paper notification form:
Page 1 – Fields to be notified
Page 2 - Description of fields
2
List of Ship Stations and Maritime
Mobile Service Identity Assignments (List V)
- Notification of data  There are two methods for notifying data (ref. BR Circular Letter CM/18
dated 28 Nov. 2008)
2. Electronic notification:
Page 1 – Fields to be notified
Page 2 - Description of fields
2
List of Ship Stations and Maritime
Mobile Service Identity Assignments (List V)
- Notification of data  A link to the relevant notifications forms :
http://www.itu.int/en/ITU-R/terrestrial/mars/Pages/ShipStationsSubmissionofdata.aspx
(These forms can also be obtained, upon request, from the Radiocommunication Bureau.)
2
Manual for Use by the Maritime Mobile and Maritime
Mobile-Satellite Services
 This is a reference publication that has been designed to
be of use to operators in the maritime mobile and
maritime mobile-satellite services.
 It provides the maritime community with a compilation
of treaty, regulatory, technical, operational and other ITU
texts relevant to the maritime mobile and maritime
mobile-satellite services.
 It contains all pertinent extracts from the ITU
Constitution and Convention, Radio Regulations,
Telegraph and Telephone Regulations and associated ITUT and ITU-R Recommendations, on the maritime mobile
and maritime mobile satellite services.
2
Radio Regulations (RR) – Appendix 16
Carriage requirement of the ITU Service Publications
(maritime)
 The most recent versions of the ITU maritime Service Publications are to
be carried on board ships for which a Global Maritime Distress and
Safety System (GMDSS) installation is required by international
agreement:
 List of Coast stations and Special Service
Stations (List IV)
 List of Ship Stations and Maritime Mobile
Service Identity Assignments (List V)
 Manual for Use by the Maritime Mobile and
Maritime Mobile-Satellite Services
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Radio Regulations (RR) – Appendix 16
Carriage requirement of the ITU Service Publications
(maritime)
 The authorities responsible for the licensing of ship radio stations, within
their administrations, have an obligation to ensure that stations under
their jurisdiction comply with the stipulations of the Radio Regulations
 Member states should ensure likewise that the stipulations of the Radio
Regulations are respected whilst inspecting radio stations of foreign
vessels visiting or calling into their ports
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Ship station
Ship Radio License
Why?

To know who is responsible for the ship, its radio station and the radio
operator.

To be able to contact a responsible person on shore as to the
disposition of the Ship.

To ensure that the equipment that is to be fitted on board is in
compliance with international standards and will not cause harmful
interference.

To ensure that the radio operator is competent to operate the radio
station and will not cause harmful interference.

To ensure that the equipment corresponds to the frequencies licensed.
ITU-BR Guidance for Administrations on Maritime Radiocommunications - 1 October 2014
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Ship station
Ship Radio License application

Ship Radio License Application. The following points need to be
considered when formulating a Ship radio license Application form, for
example;








Page 1. Guidance.
Refer to the applicable national legislation.
Contact details Address, Phone Fax.
The setting of the fee to be paid.
How payment can be made.
Hints on how to complete the application form.
FAQ Frequently Asked Questions.
Advise the applicant that it is important that all the information is
correct, as the information may be used by SAR Search And Rescue
authorities in the event of an incident, collision, sinking etc.
It may be relevant to include an EPIRB registration form if the
administration considers it appropriate.

ITU-BR Guidance for Administrations on Maritime Radiocommunications - 1 October 2014
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Specimen of a radio ship radio license issued
to stations on board ships - Recommendation 7 (RR)
A few principles for the formulation of
standard ship station licenses:
•
The license should, as far as possible, be
prepared in tabular form, and each line and
column of the table clearly numbered or lettered.
•
The size of the license should be international
standard A4.
•
The license should be designed in a form which
facilitates its display on board a ship.
•
The license should be printed in Latin characters
in the national language of the country which
issues it. Those countries whose national
language cannot be written in Latin characters
should use their national language and, in
addition, English, Spanish or French.
•
The title “Ship Station License” should appear at
the top of the license in the national language as
well as in English, Spanish and French.
•
These principles were used in formulating the
standard form as shown on the left.
ITU-BR Guidance for Administrations on Maritime Radiocommunications - 1 October 2014
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Specimen of a radio ship radio license issued
to stations on board ships - Recommendation 7 (RR)
Explanations of some fields:
1. Name of ship: Provided by the ship owner.
2. Call sign: Call signs in the international series are
formed as indicated in Nos. 19.51 to 19.71. The
first two characters shall be two letters or a
letter followed by a digit or a digit followed by a
letter. (ref. Article 19 of the RR).
3. MMSI: Maritime mobile service identities are
formed of a series of nine digits which are
transmitted over the radio path in order to
uniquely identify ship stations, ship earth
stations, coast stations, coast earth stations, and
other non-ship borne stations operating in the
maritime mobile service or the maritime mobilesatellite service.
4. Holder of license: Name and contact of the ship
owner.
5. Accounting Authority: The accounting authority
acts as a billing intermediary between the
maritime mobile station and service providers.
(ref. ITU-T Rec. D.90)
6. Equipment: Transmitters and other equipment
(such as Inmarsat terminals, EPIRBs, etc.) on
board the ship.
ITU-BR Guidance for Administrations on Maritime Radiocommunications - 1 October 2014
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Example of a radio ship radio license issued by an
administration to stations on board ships
ITU-BR Guidance for Administrations on Maritime Radiocommunications - 1 October 2014
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“Invented” specimen of a radio ship radio license issued
to stations on board ships
ITU-BR Guidance for Administrations on Maritime Radiocommunications - 1 October 2014
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Ship station
Ship Radio License

The application forms should
be maintained in a filing
system.

A national electronic database
could be created to hold the
information.
 This database should be
available to the MRCC-ARCC
on a 365 days/24 hour basis.
 The database can be
automated to provide
electronic notifications (test
files e-mail) to update the ITU
BR for List V ship stations
notification and the MARS
database input.
ITU-BR Guidance for Administrations on Maritime Radiocommunications - 1 October 2014
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Ship station – Notification to the BR
(Article 20 of the RR)
• Administrations shall take all appropriate measures to notify the Radiocommunication
Bureau (i.e. BR) immediately of any changes in the operational information contained in
Lists IV and V, in view of the importance of this information, particularly with regard to safety.
• In the case of the data published in List V (i.e. ship stations) , which is also made
available online through MARS, administrations shall communicate those changes at
least once a month.
• Administrations should submit regularly, to the BR, particulars of their ship
stations as stipulated in provision 20.16 of the Radio Regulations.
• To facilitate the submission of ship station data, the Bureau has developed:
 A paper notification form;
 An electronic notification form – containing the data elements and their
layout.
• The Preface to List V contains information that is helpful for completing these
forms.
• Some pertinent information is also provided at the back of these forms.
• The Bureau recommends the use of the electronic notification form, as these
offer distinct advantages.
ITU-BR Guidance for Administrations on Maritime Radiocommunications - 1 October 2014
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Notification of ship station data to the BR
(information extracted from the example of a radio license on previous slide)
ITU-BR Guidance for Administrations on Maritime Radiocommunications - 1 October 2014
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Notification of ship station data to the BR
Mandatory fields that shall always be notified:
• Field AC - Action Code (A-add, M- modify, S –
suppress)
• Field 1 - Ship (vessel) name
• Field 2 - Call sign
• Field 4 - MMSI (if assigned)
• Field 7 - Notifying administration
Complimentary fields that should be notified:
•
Field 10 - Radio Beacons (EPIRBs)
•
Field 11 - General classification (i.e. PL, MM, FV..)
•
Field 12 - Individual classification (i.e. YAT, PH, OIL,
CA, ..)
•
Field 18 - AAIC
•
Field 23 - EPIRB Identification code (if programmed
with MMSI)
•
Field 24 - Vessel Identification Number (IMO
number)
•
Field 25 - Gross Tonnage
•
Fields 26 to 29 – Emergency contact information
•
Field 30 - Capacity of persons on board
•
Field 32 - EPIRB HEX ID Code (if programmed with
Cospas-Sarsat designated code)
ITU-BR Guidance for Administrations on Maritime Radiocommunications - 1 October 2014
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Exercise
Review ship details
Application form
Fill out Application form
Consider entering data from
application into EXCEL spreadsheet
 Construct Ship Radio License
 Derive Notification




ITU-BR Guidance for Administrations on Maritime Radiocommunications - 1 October 2014
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Radio Regulations (RR) - Article 20
ITU maritime online information system
MARS - Maritime mobile Access and Retrieval System
 Access to MARS webpage and most of the information found therein is not restricted
 MARS provides:
 Users with search functions to retrieve data concerning ship and coast stations, addresses of
accounting authorities and administrations, as well as information
concerning SAR aircraft and AIS Aids to Navigation (AtoN)
that have been assigned an MMSI
 Administrations with the possibility to download a file containing
all their ship and coast stations that are currently
registered with ITU
 Notification forms, used for updating the information published
in the maritime related ITU Service Publications,
and as a result in the MARS system
http://www.itu.int/ITU-R/go/mars/en
 Additional information concerning maritime issues,
handled by the Radiocommunication Bureau
 It is available on a 24-hour/7-day basis and data from the ITU maritime database is transferred
to this system weekly (i.e. 03:00 UTC every Monday morning)
 The information contained in this system is based on the data provided by
administrations of its Member States, to the ITU.
4
MARS - Maritime mobile Access and Retrieval System
- Main Users -

Rescue Coordination Centers & Search and Rescue Units
 Administrations
 Coast Stations
 Offices in-charge of licensing & notification of ship, coast stations and other
maritime stations
 Maritime community
 Shipping companies and Agencies
 Accounting Authorities
 International Organizations (IMO, Inmarsat)
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MARS –Retrieve and Download Data
 Retrieve data
 Retrieving data is very straight forward
 Under the heading “Retrieve data” links are provided to the different types of station
information stored in the ITU maritime database.
 Clicking on any of the provided links directs the user to the relevant SEARCH SCREEN.
 Download data
 ONLY Administrations have the possibility to download a file containing all their ship and
coast stations that are currently registered with ITU (password protected)
http://www.itu.int/en/ITU-R/terrestrial/mars/Pages/DownloadlistIVrestricted.aspx
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MARS – Example of retrieving data concerning a ship station
 From the main MARS page, under heading Retrieve data, click on
Particulars of Ship stations
 In the Particulars of Ship Stations screen, enter
a criteria in the appropriate field. In this
example the Maritime Mobile Service Identity
(MMSI) is used. If the station is stored in the
ITU maritime database a list containing brief
details of the retrieved station is displayed
 By clicking on the name of the listed ship station, all the data, as notified will be displayed. See following slide
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MARS – Example of retrieving data concerning a ship station
 All the data of the ship station, as notified, is displayed
 Concerning retrieving data for other types of stations, available on MARS, the procedure is
rather similar
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MARS – Additional information concerning maritime issues
 The BR will also make available to administrations and the maritime
community, a compilation of changes to the Lists IV and V notified to the
ITU, since the publication of an edition. These are PDF formatted files
that can be downloaded from: http://www.itu.int/ITU-R/go/mars/en
 This information is published only for information and the carriage
requirements on board ships, as stipulated in Appendix 16 of the Radio
Regulations, do not apply to these compilations
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MARS – Additional information concerning maritime issues
 The Bureau also provides, links to the Circular Letters
(CM) that concern Maritime Affairs, issued by the
Radiocommunication Bureau.
 GLobal Administration Data System (GLAD) - An online
data retrieval-system and a central repository of ITU-R
common information concerning administrations and
geographical areas.
GLobal Administration Data System
(GLAD)
BR Circular Letters
Maritime affairs (CM)
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