Resolution MSC.129(75)

MARITIME SAFETY AND SAFETY RELATED COMMUNICATIONS.

(adopted on 21 May 2002)

THE MARITIME SAFETY COMMITTEE,

RECALLING Article 28(b) of the Convention on the International Maritime Organization concerning the functions of the Committee,

RECALLING ALSO that the ITU, at its 1997 World Radio Conference, reallocated what had been the Maritime Mobile Satellite Service in the bands 1530 - 1544 MHz and 1626.5 -- 1645.5 MHz to a "generic" Mobile Satellite Service,

RECALLING FURTHER that to protect maritime communications, the ITU included a footnote in its Radio Regulations (S5.353A) stating that "priority shall be given to accommodating the spectrum requirements for distress, urgency and safety communications of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System. Maritime mobile satellite distress, urgency and safety communications shall have priority access and immediate availability over all other mobile satellite communications operating in a network. Mobile-satellite systems shall not cause unacceptable interference to, or claim protection from, distress, urgency and safety communications of the GMDSS."

CONSIDERING that regulation IV/4.8 of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974 as amended in 1988, requires every ship, while at sea, be capable of transmitting and receiving general radiocommunications to and from shore-based radio systems or networks,

CONSIDERING ALSO that IMO considers that general communications contain substantial safety and safety-related communications necessary for the safe operation of shipping,

CONSIDERING FURTHER that, unless the above safety related communications are clarified, general communications receives no special protection under S.353A of the Radio Regulations,

NOTING the IMO position regarding this matter submitted to WRC-92, -95 and -97 in COMSAR 2/18 annex 8,

1. REAFFIRMS that all GMDSS maritime safety and safety related communications must be afforded adequate, effective and immediate access and protection, regardless of how it is routed or to whom it is addressed;