CIRCULAR LETTER
MSC/Circ.1043

 RECOMMENDATION ON SHIPS' DAILY REPORTING THEIR POSITIONS TO COMPANIES

(adopted on 21 May 2002)

1. The Maritime Safety Committee at its seventy-fifth session (15 to 24 May 2002) noted, with concern, that ships continue to be lost without distress signals being received by search and rescue services, a situation that delays the rescue of survivors because of uncertainty regarding the ship's position.

2. The Committee also noted that the recent Report of the Re-opened Formal Investigation into the loss of the MV Derbyshire had recommended, inter alia, that "the IMO should require the compulsory daily reporting of the position of all vessels".

3. The Committee further noted that:

.1 Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs), that transmit via satellite a distress signal which includes their position, are intended to float-free and automatically activate in the event of a ship sinking;

.2 chapter V of the International Convention on the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974, as amended and chapter 5 of the International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR), 1979, as amended both include provisions regarding ship reporting; and

.3 in the context of on-going discussions in respect of resolution A.924(22) on the Review of Measures and Procedures to Prevent Acts of Terrorism which Threaten the Security of Passengers and Crews and the Safety of Ships, the Organization was considering the development of a long-range version of the Automatic Identification System (AIS).

4. The Committee, while acknowledging that the systems referred to in paragraph 3 above, enhance the probability that a relatively recent position of a ship in distress is available to search and rescue services in a timely manner, agreed that it was also necessary to urge all ships which are not:

.1 already participating in a ship reporting system; or

.2 trading on a regular route where the voyage time between