Resolution MSC.249(83)

ADOPTION OF A NEW MANDATORY SHIP REPORTING SYSTEM "ON THE APPROACHES TO THE POLISH PORTS IN THE GULF OF GDAŃSK"

(adopted on 8 October 2007)

 

 

THE MARITIME SAFETY COMMITTEE,

 

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

 

RECALLING ALSO regulation V/11 of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 (SOLAS Convention), in relation to the adoption of ship reporting systems by the Organization,

 

RECALLING FURTHER resolution A.858(20) resolving that the function of adopting ship reporting systems shall be performed by the Committee on behalf of the Organization,

 

TAKING INTO ACCOUNT the guidelines and criteria for ship reporting systems adopted by resolution MSC.43(64), as amended by resolutions MSC.111(73) and MSC.189(79),

 

HAVING CONSIDERED the recommendations of the Sub-Committee on Safety of Navigation at its fifty-third session,

 

1. ADOPTS, in accordance with SOLAS regulation V/11, the new mandatory ship reporting system "On the approaches to the Polish ports in the Gulf of Gdańsk";

 

2. DECIDES that the ship reporting system, "On the approaches to the Polish ports in the Gulf of Gdańsk (GDANREP)", will enter into force at 0000 hours UTC on 1 May 2008; and

 

3. REQUESTS the Secretary-General to bring this resolution and its Annex to the attention of the Member Governments and SOLAS Contracting Governments to the 1974 SOLAS Convention.

 

Annex.

MANDATORY SHIP REPORTING SYSTEM "ON THE APPROACHES TO THE POLISH PORTS IN THE GULF OF GDAŃSK" (GDANREP)

 

A ship reporting system (GDANREP) is established in the Gulf of Gdańsk in the territorial and internal waters of Poland.

 

1. Categories of ships required to participate in the system

 

1.1 Ships of the following categories are required to participate in the system proceeding to or from Polish ports or passing through the reporting area between Polish ports in the Gulf of Gdańsk, or ships visiting the area:

 

- all passenger ships as defined in Chapter 1 of 1974 SOLAS, as amended;

 

- ships of 150 gross tonnage and above;

 

- all vessels engaged in towing.

 

2. Geographical coverage of the system and the number and edition of the reference chart used for the delineation of the system

 

2.1 The operational area of the mandatory ship reporting system covers the territorial and internal waters of Poland in the Gulf of Gdańsk, south of parallel 54° 45′ N, between Reporting Line and Polish coastline.

 

2.2 The reference chart is Polish chart No.151 (INT 1291) published by the Hydrographic Office of the Polish Navy (Edition 2004). Chart datum is World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS-84) Datum.

 

2.3 For the purpose of this system Reporting Line means the line joining the following geographical positions:

 

 

2.4 For the purpose of this system Reporting Points are situated at the following geographical positions:

 

 

3. Format, content of reports, times and geographical positions for submitting reports, authority to whom reports should be sent and available services

 

Reports should be made using VHF voice transmissions. A ship may elect, for reasons of commercial confidentiality, to communicate, in compliance with the relevant national regulations, that section of the report which provides information on cargo by non-verbal means prior to entering the ship reporting area.

 

3.1 Format

 

Designators to be used in the GDANREP area are derived from the format-type given in paragraph 2 of the appendix to resolution A.851(20).

 

System identifier: GDANREP (SP)(PR)(FR)

 

3.2 Content

 

A full report from a ship to the shore-based Authority by voice should contain the following information:

 

3.2.1 Sailing Plan (SP)

 

A	Name of the ship, call sign, IMO identification number (if applicable), MMSI number, flag
C or D	Position (expressed in latitude and longitude or bearing to and distance from a landmark)
E and F	Course and speed of the ship
G	Name of last port of call
I	Destination, ETA and ETD
O	Maximum present draught
P	Cargo and, if dangerous or polluting goods present on board, quantity and UN numbers and IMO hazard classes or pollution category thereof, as appropriate
Q or R	Defects, damage, deficiencies or other limitations (vessels towing are to report length of tow and name of object in tow) or any other circumstances affecting normal navigation in accordance with the provisions of the SOLAS and MARPOL Conventions
T	Contact information of ship's agent or owner
W	Total number of persons on board
X	Miscellaneous remarks, amount and nature of bunkers if over 5000 tons, navigational status

 

3.2.2 Position Report (PR)

 

A Name of the ship, call sign, IMO identification number (or MMSI for transponder reports)

 

C or D Position (expressed in latitude and longitude or bearing to and distance from a landmark)

 

3.2.3 Final Report (FR)

 

A Name of the ship, call sign, IMO identification number (or MMSI for transponder reports)

 

C or D Position (expressed in latitude and longitude or bearing to and distance from a landmark)

 

3.2.4 Other Reports

 

When an incident or accident which can affect the safety of the ship, safety of navigation or any incident giving rise to pollution, or threat of pollution, to the marine environment occurs within the ship reporting system area, the vessel(s) shall immediately report to the shore-based Authority the type, time, and location of the incident, extent of damage or pollution, and whether assistance is needed. The vessel(s) shall provide without delay any additional information related to the incident or accident as requested by the shore-based Authority, given, when appropriate, in the format-type of detailed report as given in paragraph 3 of the appendix to resolution A.851(20).

 

Note:

 

On receipt of a position message, the system operators will establish the relationship between the ship's position and the information supplied by the position-fixing equipment available to them. Information on course and speed will help operators to identify one ship among a group of ships.

 

All VHF-, telephone-, radar-, AIS- and other relevant information are recorded and the records are stored for 30 days.

 

3.3 Times and geographical position for submitting reports

 

Participating vessels are to report to the shore-based authorities the information required in paragraph 3.2 in the following schedule:

 

3.3.1 The ship shall transmit the Sailing Plan (SP) on entry into the ship reporting system area by crossing Reporting Line.

 

3.3.2 The ship shall transmit the Position Report (PR) on passing the Reporting Points.

 

3.3.3 The ship shall transmit the Final Report (FR) when finally exiting from the ship reporting system area by crossing Reporting Line.

 

3.3.4 In the case of incidents or accidents as described in paragraph 3.2.4 the ship(s) shall transmit the Other Report(s) immediately to the shore-based Authority. The vessel(s) shall provide any additional information related to the incident or accident as requested by the shore-based Authority.

 

3.4 Authority to whom reports should be sent and available services

 

The shore-based Authority is Director of Maritime Office in Gdynia, Poland. The ships participating in the system shall transmit reports by radio to VTS Centre "Gulf of Gdańsk". The authority monitors shipping within the mandatory ship reporting area of the Gulf of Gdańsk by radar and AIS. This does not relieve ship masters of their responsibility for the navigation of their ship.

 

4. Information to be provided to participating ships and procedures to be followed

 

4.1 Information provided

 

4.1.1 Authority provides information to shipping about specific and urgent situations which could cause conflicting traffic movements and other information concerning safety of navigation, for instance:

 

- information on weather conditions, ice, water level;

 

- information on navigational conditions including navigational warnings (status of aids to navigation, presence of other ships and, if necessary, their position, etc.);

 

- recommended route to be followed and status of areas temporarily closed for navigation.

 

4.1.2 Information is broadcasted by VTS Centre "Gulf of Gdańsk" station on the working channel or on the reserve channel, following the announcement on the working channel in the form of routine bulletins or when necessary or on request. Scheduled times of the routine weather bulletins and navigational warnings broadcasts are available in the relevant nautical publications.

 

4.1.3 Participating ships shall maintain listening watch on the designated VTS working channel.

 

4.1.4 Information broadcasts will be preceded by an announcement on VHF channel 16 on which channel it will be made. All ships navigating in the area should listen to the announced broadcast.

 

4.1.5 If necessary, individual information can be provided to a ship on the working channel, particularly in relation to positioning and navigational assistance or local conditions. If a ship needs to anchor due to breakdown or emergency the operator can recommend suitable anchorage in the area.

 

4.2 Ice routeing in winter

 

During severe ice conditions the traffic separation schemes may be declared not valid. Mariners will be informed of the cancellation through Notices to Mariners and by VHF broadcasts from the VTS Centre. Ships reporting to the Centre, will receive information on the recommended route through the ice and/or are requested to contact the regional ice-braking co-ordinator for further instructions.

 

4.3 Deviations

 

If a ship participating in the mandatory ship reporting system fails to appear on the radar screen or fails to communicate with the authority or an emergency is reported, MRCC in the area is responsible for initiating a search for the ship in accordance with the rules laid down for the search and rescue service, including the involvement of other participating ships known to be in that particular area.

 

5. Radiocommunication required for the system, frequencies on which reports should be transmitted and information to be reported

 

5.1 The radio communications equipment required for the system is that defined in the GMDSS for sea area A1.

 

5.2 Reports shall be made by voice on VHF radio using the primary VTS working channel.

 

5.3 When submitting reports the system identifier GDANREP can be omitted.

 

5.4 The voice call sign of the VTS Centre "Gulf of Gdańsk" is "VTS Zatoka".

 

5.5 The VHF working channels of the VTS Centre "Gulf of Gdańsk" are:

 

 

5.6 Ships are required to maintain a continuous listening watch in the area on VTS working channel and to report and take any action required by the maritime Authorities to reduce risks.

 

5.7 Confidential information may be transmitted by other means, including electronically, in compliance with relevant national regulations.

 

5.8 The language used for communication shall be English or Polish, using the IMO Standard Marine Communications Phrases, where necessary.

 

6. Relevant rules and regulations in force in the area of the system

 

6.1 Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea

 

The International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972, as amended, are applicable throughout the reporting area.

 

6.2 Traffic Separation Schemes

 

The Traffic Separation Schemes in the Gulf of Gdańsk have been adopted by IMO and rule 10 of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea applies.

 

6.3 Pilotage

 

Pilotage is mandatory in national waters under national laws.

 

6.4 National regulations