Resolution MSC.211(81)

ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE TIMELY ESTABLISHMENT OF THE LONG-RANGE IDENTIFICATION AND TRACKING SYSTEM

(adopted on 19 May 2006)

THE MARITIME SAFETY COMMITTEE,

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

HAVING adopted amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, as amended (the Convention) relating to the long-range identification and tracking of ships (SOLAS regulation V/19-1) which, upon acceptance on 1 July 2007, will enter into force on 1 January 2008,

HAVING ALSO adopted Performance standards and functional requirements for the long-range identification and tracking of ships (the Performance standards),

ALSO HAVING agreed with the establishment of ad hoc Working Group on engineering aspects of LRIT,

RECOGNIZING the need to put in place arrangements with a view to ensuring the prompt establishment of the International LRIT Data Centre and of the International LRIT Data Exchange as well as the need for testing and confirming the function of the LRIT system as envisaged in the LRIT architecture,

1. INVITES Contracting Governments to the Convention (Contracting Governments) to advise the Committee, at its eighty-second session, of their firm intentions in relation to the establishment of National, Regional and Co-operative LRIT Data Centre(s);

2. INVITES ALSO Contracting Governments to submit proposals on the issues which need to be addressed in relation to the establishment of the International LRIT Data Centre and of the International LRIT Data Exchange or on any other issues relating to the establishment, operation, performance review and audit of the LRIT system for consideration by the Committee at its eighty-second session;

3. AGREES that, at its eighty-second session, the Committee will make the necessary decisions in order to initiate the process for consideration, at its eighty-third session, of the proposals relating to the establishment of the International LRIT Data Centre and of the International LRIT Data Exchange;

4. ALSO AGREES that, at its eighty-second session, the Committee will make the necessary decisions in relation to the assignment of the performance of the functions of the LRIT Co-ordinator;

5. URGES Contracting Governments to promptly put in place the necessary arrangements:

.1 so as to be able to submit to:

.1 the Organization, the information required by SOLAS regulation V/19-1 and those needed for the establishment of the LRIT Data Distribution Plan not later than 1 January 2008; and

.2 the LRIT Data Centre they would be selecting, the information specified in the Performance standards not later than 1 July 2008;

and to update such information as and when changes occur;

.2 for the smooth integration of the ships entitled to fly their flag into the LRIT system;

6. ALSO INVITES Contracting Government to urge ships entitled to fly their flag to participate in trials and testing of the LRIT system;

7. AGREES ALSO that International LRIT Data Centre and the International LRIT Data Exchange should commence trials and testing of the LRIT system not later than the 1 July 2008;

8. AGREES FURTHER that LRIT Data Centres, other than the International LRIT Data Centre, should be in a position to commence the integration of ships into the LRIT system as soon as possible after 1 July 2008 and, preferably, not later than 1 October 2008;

9. REQUESTS the Secretariat to provide information for consideration by the Committee, at its eighty-second session, on the arrangements for the establishment and maintenance of the LRIT Data Distribution Plan so as to enable Contracting Governments to commence populating the plan with data as from 1 January 2008;

10. FURTHER RECOMMENDS that Contracting Governments to take early appropriate actions to ensure that all necessary infrastructures are in place, timely, for the establishment of the LRIT system;

11. ALSO URGES Contracting Governments, in consultation with the