NCSR 9 sub-committee revised guidance and performance standards for GMDSS, vessel tracking, ECDIS and inclinometers
IMO is revising standards and updating guidance on communications and navigation technologies on ships to improve safety.
The Sub-Committee on Navigation, Communications and Search and Rescue (NCSR) met for its 9th session 21-30 June 2022 to revise guidance for approval at the next Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) meeting being held 2-11 November 2022.
NCSR 9 revised circulars following the Global Maritime Distress Satellite System (GMDSS) modernisation, after MSC 105 (April 2022) adopted several amendments to rules to update the GMDSS and enable other companies to provide this service.
Iridium is providing GMDSS communications over its low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites as an alternative to Inmarsat’s long-term service over geostationary orbiting satellites.
The sub-committee also finalised circulars covering radiocommunications for search and rescue (COMSAR) services and co-ordination centres.
During NCSR 9, China’s BeiDou Message Service System (BDMSS), was recognised as a regional mobile satellite service for use in the GMDSS, subject to completion of outstanding technical and operational issues.
The International Mobile Satellite Organization (IMSO), which has the remit to assess the technical and operational aspects, was invited to submit a report to MSC 106 on the outcome of a planned site visit to the BDMSS facilities in China. IMSO previously worked with Iridium enabling its recognition a global GMDSS service.
The sub-committee revised ECDIS guidance for good practice (MSC.1/Circ.1503/Rev.1) for submission to MSC for approval. The draft updated guidance includes a new section covering onboard ECDIS updates.
NCSR 9 completed a draft revision of ECDIS performance standards (resolution MSC.232(82)) for adoption by MSC 106 covering the application of new International Hydrographic Organization data standards and product specifications (S-98, S-100 and S-101) regarding ECDIS equipment installed on or after 1 January 2029 and, optionally, for equipment installed after 1 January 2026 and before 1 January 2029.
And draft amendments to performance standards for the Long-Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT) equipment (resolution MSC.263(84) were finalised by NCSR 9, with submission to MSC for approval and adoption.
LRIT is used by IMO member states for shipping security, safety and marine environment protection. It includes shipborne LRIT information transmitting equipment, communications and application services, data centres, vessel monitoring systems, data distribution and exchange mechanisms.
A revision of the navigation text messaging Navtex manual was submitted to MSC 106 for approval, to become effective 1 January 2023.
IMO’s position on relevant agenda items to be discussed at the next World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-23), to be held in the United Arab Emirates from 20 November to 15 December 2023, was also drafted at NCSR 9. This will be submitted to MSC 106 for approval and for submission to the International Telecommunication Union ITU’s conference preparatory meeting for WRC-23. Draft liaison statements to ITU on maritime radiocommunication matters were also approved.
SAR and COMSAR circulars were approved, as was a revised list of documents and publications which should be held by maritime rescue co-ordination centres and a COMSAR circular on procedures for routeing distress alerts.
NCSR 9 produced a draft MSC circular on guidelines for training and operating emergency personal radio devices in multiple casualty situations. Guidance must be included and addressed in ships’ safety management systems.
The sub-committee generated draft SOLAS amendments for the mandatory carriage of electronic inclinometers on container ships and bulk carriers of more than 3,000 gt.
Inclinometers can provide information on the critical stability and navigational situations of a ship and share information on roll period and actual heel angle with other bridge equipment.
If these are approved by MSC, container ships and bulk carriers constructed after 1 January 2026 must be fitted with an electronic inclinometer, or other means, to determine, display and record the ship’s roll motion.
Also approved at NCSR 9, was amended ship routeing measures and mandatory ship reporting systems in the Black Sea, off Japan and California, US.
Data exchanges
Between 9 to 13 May 2022, IMO’s Facilitation Committee adopted amendments to the Facilitation (FAL) Convention which will make the single window for electronic data exchange mandatory in ports around the world from 1 January 2024, marking a significant step in accelerating shipping digitalisation.
It will be mandatory for public authorities to establish, maintain and use single-window systems for the electronic exchange of information required on arrival, stay and departure of ships in ports.
Public authorities will have to combine or co-ordinate the electronic transmission of the data to ensure information is only submitted or provided once and reused to the maximum extent.
Also approved at FAL 46, were related guidelines on authentication, integrity and confidentiality of information exchanges via maritime single windows and related services. IMO member states will test a new Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS) module created to share information on single windows. IMO will monitor GSIS progress and single-window implementation.
FAL 46 approved an updated version of the IMO Compendium on Facilitation and Electronic Business, with five new data sets: ship reporting systems; ship and company certificates; ship registry and company details; and inspections and port-state control inspection history data. These facilitate the exchange of information ship to shore and the interoperability of single windows.
Progress on MASS regulations
In May, IMO’s FAL Committee approved the outcome of the regulatory scoping exercise (RSE) which analysed relevant ship safety treaties to assess how maritime autonomous surface ships (MASS) could be regulated.
Maritime safety and legal committees have completed similar RSEs and identified gaps in terminology, the role and responsibility of the master and crew, as well as remote operators. A joint working group will meet in September to address common issues identified by the three committees. In April, Maritime Safety Committee started work on developing a goal-based instrument in the form of a non-mandatory code to regulate MASS operations.
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