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VHF Channel 16 and GMDSS

Posted on: 13 February 2003 Global Maritime Distress and Safety Systems (GMDSS)
GMDSS was developed by the IMO in close co-ordination with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and other international organizations, notably the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO). Under the GMDSS, all passenger ships and all cargo ships over 300 gross tonnage on international voyages have to carry specified satellite and radiocommunications equipment, for sending and receiving distress alerts and maritime safety information, and for general communications. The regulations governing the GMDSS are contained in the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS). IMO's senior technical body, the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC), has divided the world's oceans into 13 search and rescue areas, in each of which the countries concerned have delimited search and rescue regions for which they are responsible. Provisional search and rescue plans for all of these areas have been completed, with the final area, the Indian Ocean, finalised at a conference held in Fremantle, Western Australia in September 1998. GMDSS relies on the use of radio sets fitted with Digital Selective Calling (DSC). This provides an automatic system for the production of distress calls to all ships and other routine calls which trigger alarms on receiving sets. DSC was compulsory for SOLAS ships but only voluntary for other vessels, where the SOLAS ships only made up a small percentage of the of the total users. A survey carried out by ISAF in 2000, showed that very few non-SOLAS ships were fitted with DSC equipment, mainly due to the high cost of the equipment and licensing fees, and a more specialized examination process for operators. Also a lack of communication between producers of DSC sets led to the problem where a set purchased in the US was not approved for use in an European vessel. A more disturbing find of the ISAF survey, was that some SAR authorities had not fitted themselves with or their coastal stations with the necessary DSC equipment. Although all passenger ships and cargo ships over 300 gross tonnage have now been fitted with the GMDSS system, it is still virtually non-existent on smaller craft which still rely on the normal distress frequencies for communication with SAR authorities. Posted on: 13 February 2003 Channel 16
Channel 16 on VHF has traditionally been the international maritime distress frequency, monitored by SAR authorities, all trade ships and boat users alike. Under SOLAS (Safety of Life At Sea) it is obligatory that a compulsory watch be maintained on Channel 16 at all times. This obligation was scheduled to end on 31 January 2005 in reliance on the alarm function of the GMDSS sets whenever a distress was raised. ISAF, in view of the deficiencies of the GMDSS, requested that the proposal go under review as it was felt that the compulsory listening watch was of vital importance to all recreational boat users. The IMO accepted ISAF’s proposals and the abolition of the compulsory watch on Channel 16 has been postponed indefinitely. The position will be reviewed by IMO in 2005.