NP100 Edition 9 2009

Contents

Chapter 13

COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS

Distress and Rescue

General information

Introduction

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The success of rescue operations, whether by ship, life–boat, helicopter or any rescue equipment, may often depend on the co–operation of those in distress with their rescuers. A sound knowledge of search and rescue arrangements will not only help those in distress, but will ensure that the rescuers themselves are not endangered, and are able to reach the scene with minimum delay.

The radio watch on the international frequencies which certain classes of ship are required to keep at sea is one of the most important factors in rescue arrangements. Since these arrangements must often fail unless ships can alert each other or be alerted from shore for distress action, every ship fitted with suitable radio equipment should guard one or other of these distress frequencies for as long as is required, and longer if practicable.

Global Maritime Distress and

Safety System (GMDSS)

Administration

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GMDSS is an international system that uses terrestrial and satellite technology and ship–board radio systems to ensure, in the event of a marine distress, the rapid, automated alerting of shore–based communication and rescue authorities in addition to other ships in the immediate vicinity.

GMDSS was adopted by means of amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974. The amendments, contained in Chapter IV of SOLAS on Radiocommunications, were adopted in 1988 and became fully effective on 1 February 1999. From that date, all applicable vessels had to comply with the GMDSS requirements in SOLAS.

Implementation of the GMDSS requirements is the responsibility of Contracting Governments to SOLAS, and of the Administrations of individual countries which have ratified the GMDSS requirements into their national law. In practice, it also means that individual ship–owners are responsible for ensuring that their vessels meet GMDSS requirements, since they are required to obtain certificates from their respective Flag States certifying conformity with all relevant international regulations.

Objectives

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Vessels fitted with GMDSS equipment are safer at sea and more likely to receive assistance in the event of a distress, because the GMDSS provides for automatic distress alerting and locating in the event that the vessel’s staff do not have time to transmit a manual distress call. The GMDSS also requires vessels to carry Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs) which float free from a sinking vessel and alert SAR authorities with the vessel’s identity and location.

Under the GMDSS, all cargo vessels of 300 gt and above, and all passenger vessels engaged on international voyages, must be equipped with radio equipment that conforms to international standards set out in the system. The basic concept is that search and rescue (SAR) authorities ashore, as well as shipping in the immediate vicinity of the vessel in distress, will be rapidly alerted through terrestrial and satellite communication techniques so that they can assist in a co–ordinated SAR operation with the minimum of delay.

GMDSS Sea Areas

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For GMDSS purposes, the world’s oceans are divided into four different categories of Sea Area, and equipment requirements for specific vessels are determined by the category of Sea Area (or areas) within which they operate.

Area A1. Within the radiotelephone coverage of at least one VHF coast station in which DSC alerting is available. Such a coverage could typically extend 20 to 50 miles from the coast station.

Area A2. An area, excluding Sea Area A1, within the radiotelephone coverage of at least one MF coast station in which continuous DSC alerting is available. For planning purposes this area typically extends up to 150 miles offshore, but would exclude any A1 designated areas. In practice, satisfactory coverage may often be achieved up to 250 miles offshore.

Area A3. An area, excluding Sea Areas A1 and A2, within the coverage of an Inmarsat geostationary satellite in which continuous alerting is available. This area lies approximately between the parallels of 70°N and 70°S, but excludes A1 and/or A2 designated areas.

Area A4. Any area outside Sea Areas A1, A2 or A3. This is essentially the polar regions, N and S of 70° latitude.

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GMDSS equipment

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Coastal vessels are only required to carry minimal equipment if they do not operate beyond the range of shore–based VHF radio stations, but they may also carry satellite equipment. Some coasts, however, do not have shore–based VHF radio facilities so that, although a vessel might be close to shore, the area concerned may be classed as a Sea Area A2 or A3.

Vessels which operate beyond Sea Area A1 are required to carry MF (or satellite) equipment as well as VHF.

Vessels which operate beyond MF range have to carry Inmarsat satellite equipment in addition to VHF and MF.

Vessels which operate in Sea Area A4 are required to carry HF, MF and VHF equipment.

The limits of the sea areas described above are defined by the Administrations providing the shore facilities. For further details of GMDSS see Admiralty List of Radio Signals Volume 5.

Ship reporting systems

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A number of nations operate ship reporting systems. Among these systems is the AMVER (Automated Mutual–assistance VEssel Rescue) System, an international maritime mutual–assistance

Contents

organisation operated by the US Coast Guard. For details of these systems, see Admiralty List of Radio Signals Volume 6.

UK waters

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Full details of Search and Rescue arrangements off the coasts of the United Kingdom are given in Annual Summary of Admiralty Notices to Mariners. They include statutory duties of the Master in assisting ships in distress or aircraft casualties at sea, in cases of collision, or in the event of casualties involving loss of life at sea, as well as information on rescue by helicopter.

Other sources of information

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Merchant Ship Search and Rescue Manual (MERSAR), published by IMO, gives guidance for those who, during emergencies at sea, may require assistance from others or who may be able to provide assistance themselves.

Admiralty Sailing Directions give details of Search

and	Rescue facilities, where known, in Chapter 1 of
each	volume.

Admiralty Manual of Seamanship 1995, obtainable from The Stationery Office, gives details of methods of rescue and treatment of survivors.

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