A sub-committee at IMO has approved guidance that will improve maritime navigation safety and communications.
At the sixth session of the Sub-Committee on Navigation, Communications and Search and Rescue (NSCR 6), guidance to standardise user interface design for navigation equipment was approved.
This sub-committee also approved guidance for navigation and communication equipment intended for use on ships operating in polar waters and changed measures for a number of ship routes.
IMO secretary general Kitack Lim was satisfied with what NCSR 6 achieved during eight days of discussion, working groups and negotiations. He expects these achievements will have a positive affect on maritime safety.
“The actions taken and decisions made by this sub-committee are key for the implementation of effective measures for safe navigation and reliable communications,” he said. Decisions would also “improve co-ordination to avoid maritime accidents and ensure a quick and efficient response in case of a search and rescue incident.”
NCSR 6 also approved guidance on defining and harmonising the format and structure of maritime services for e-navigation.
For enhanced communications, the sub-committee revised resolutions and circulars related to the promulgation of maritime safety information. It also revised a resolution that will have a positive impact on the performance standards of EPIRBs (emergency position-indicating radio beacons).
During the session, which was held in London between 16-25 January, there were amendments to the long range identification and tracking system (LRIT) documentation and the procedures for the third modification testing phase of LRIT.
The sub-committee also approved the IMO’s position for the International Telecommunication Union’s World Radiocommunication Conference in 2019.
For improvements to maritime emergency response, NCSR 6 validated the model course on search and rescue (SAR) mission co-ordinators and approved the SAR.7 circular on the list of documents and publications which should be held by a maritime or joint rescue co-ordination centre.
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