CIRCULAR LETTER
MSC/Circ.1041
GUIDELINES FOR SHIP OPERATORS AND THE SEARCH AND RESCUE (SAR) SERVICES ON
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR SAR DATA PROVIDERS HOLDING SAR CO-OPERATION PLANS IN
ACCORDANCE WITH SOLAS REGULATION V/7.3 AND MSC/CIRC.1000 AND THE PROVISION OF
UP-TO-DATE PLANS AT ALL TIMES
(adopted
on 21 May 2002)
1.
The Maritime Safety Committee, at its seventy-fourth session (30 May to 8 June
2001), recalled that MSC 73, in adopting amendments to the 1974 SOLAS
Convention, inter alia, revising chapter V, had also adopted regulation V/7.3,
which requires all passenger ships to which SOLAS chapter I applies to have on
board a plan for co-operation with appropriate search and rescue services in
event of an emergency. Subsequently, MSC 73 had instructed the Sub-Committee on
Radiocommunications and Search and Rescue (COMSAR) to revise MSC/ Circ.864 on
"Guidelines for preparing plans for co-operation between search and rescue
services and passenger ships on fixed routes" (in accordance with SOLAS regulation
V/15(c), as appropriate.
2.
The Committee, having considered the recommendations made by the COMSAR
Sub-Committee, at its fifth session (11 to 15 December 2000), approved
MSC/Circ.1000 on "Guide-lines for preparing plans for co-operation between
SAR services and passenger ships" (in accordance with SOLAS regulation
V/7.3).
3.
The Maritime Safety Committee, recalling the entry into force date of the 2000
SOLAS amendments, agreed that all ships to which SOLAS regulation V/7.3 applies
should have co-operation plans in place by 1 July 2002.
4.
MSC 74, in approving MSC/Circ.1000 instructed COMSAR 6 to develop, as a matter
of urgency, minimum requirements for SAR Data Providers (SDPs) holding
information on behalf of ships and their operators and the search and rescue
(SAR) services in accordance with the above Guidelines, so as to ensure a
prompt, reliable and error-free 24-hour service providing up-to-date data when
required.
5.
The Committee, at its seventy-fifth session (15 to 24 May 2002), having
considered the recommendations made by the COMSAR Sub-Committee, at its sixth
session (18 to 22 February 2002), approved Guidelines for ship operators and
the search and rescue (SAR) services on minimum requirements for SAR Data
Providers holding SAR co-operation plans in accordance with SOLAS regulation
V/7.3 and MSC/Circ.1000 and the provision of up-to-date plans at all times.
6.
Member Governments are invited to bring the annexed guidelines to the attention
of SAR service providers, shipowners, ship operators, ship masters and others
concerned and to use the provisions contained therein as appropriate.
ANNEX.
GUIDELINES FOR SHIP OPERATORS AND THE SEARCH AND RESCUE (SAR) SERVICES ON
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR SAR DATA PROVIDERS HOLDING SAR CO-OPERATION PLANS IN
ACCORDANCE WITH SOLAS REGULATION V/73 AND MSC/CIRC.1000 AND THE PROVISION OF
UP-TO-DATE PLANS AT ALL TIMES.
1.
If the objectives of SAR co-operation planning set out in MSC/Circ.1000,
Guidelines for Preparing Plans for Cooperation Between SAR Services and
Passenger Ships (in accordance with SOLAS regulation V/7.3), are to be met, and
if the SAR Data Provider (SDP) system is to be used as detailed in that
Circular, there are certain minimum requirements for an SDP to enable it to be
effective.
2.
Each SDP shall:
.1 arrange for easy,
continuous and immediate access to its SAR co-operation plans for relevant
shipping companies and operators, and for all RCCs with responsibilities within
the operating areas of the ships concerned;
.2 ensure that essential
technical capabilities, such as computers and communications links, are
reliable and are redundant or have arrangements in place for rapid repair, and
are provided with sources of emergency power. This requirement may be satisfied
by establishing a back-up SDP;
.3 ensure that updates to
plans are made promptly accessible, and that back-up data in paper or
electronic form is kept in a suitable safe location and is readily available;
.4 ensure that, if staff are
necessary to provide data access to authorised users, such personnel are always
available to handle urgent requests, trained to properly retrieve and