IMO MSC 94th Session wants IMSO to set expert panel for Iridium GMDSS

IMO | Radiocommunications

IT issues on the table at MSC - Digital Ship - The world leader in maritime IT news

The IMO’s Marine Safety Committee (MSC) met in London last week for its 94^th session, with several IT issues on the agenda, including the following items:

• The MSC decided that that the International Maritime Satellite Organisation (IMSO) should put together a panel of experts to produce a  technical and operational assessment of Iridium, as it looks to join  Inmarsat as a provider of GMDSS services.
• The MSC agreed that cyber security was “an important and timely issue”, but that unilateral action should not be taken by the IMO without first consulting with other UN bodies and international  organisations, such as the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
  
• China’s BeiDou Navigation Satellite System - the country’s equivalent of GPS - was recognised as a component of the World-Wide Radionavigation System (WWRNS), 
• approval was given to
• revised AIS guidelines, 
• 406 MHz distress beacon guidelines, 
• a number of amendments to LRIT-related circulars. 

Iridium and the GMDSS 

To translate IMO-speak into normal English:  IMSO is the International Mobile Satellite
Organization - an inter-governmental organisation that oversees public safety and security services provided by Inmarsat. IMSO's job is to ensure that  any new maritime satellite provider provides distress and safety services in accordance with Resolution A.1001(25).  This  Resolution sets out requirements regarding pre-emption, priority and
routing of distress alerts.GMDSS satellite systems are required to prioritise calls such that any distress alert receives  immediate priority on the system.  The great advantage of Iridium over Inmarsat is that Iridium offers complete coverage of the polar regions using low earth orbiting satellites.   

Iridium Constellation gives global coverage

The Inmarsat 
geo-stationary satellite system only covers to latitudes 70 degrees
north and south.

This polar coverage has very interesting ramifications for GMDSS ships trading into Sea Area A4
(the polar regions)..Note that there was also an item regarding Polar Code for SOLAS (see below).

IMO | Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) 94th session

E-navigation strategy approved

The MSC approved the e-navigation Strategy Implementation Plan (SIP), which provides a framework and a road map of tasks that would need to be implemented or conducted in the future to give effect to five prioritized e navigation solutions:

• improved, harmonized and user-friendly bridge design;
• means for standardized and automated reporting;
• improved reliability, resilience and integrity of bridge equipment and navigation information;
• integration and presentation of available information in graphical displays received via communication equipment; and
• improved communication of vessel traffic services (VTS) Service Portfolio (not limited to VTS stations).

A number of tasks have been identified for development and completion during the period 2015 to 2019. The MSC approved Guidelines on Harmonization of test beds reporting, aimed at harmonizing the way the results of testbeds are reported to the Organization.

Polar Code

IMO | IMO adopts Polar Code

IMO Adopts Polar Code:
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has adopted the International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters (Polar Code), and related amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) to make it mandatory, marking an historic milestone in the Organization’s work to protect ships and people aboard them, ...