Global Maritime Distress

and Safety System

(GMDSS)

By: Jeremy S. Cabahug

BSMT III-BRAVO
CONTENTS:
• Historical Background of GMDSS
• Dates of Implementation
• Developments of GMDSS
• Basic Concepts of GMDSS
• Definition of Sea Areas ( A1, A2, A3, and A4)
• Radio Communication Function of GMDSS as required by SOLAS
• Requirements for Radio Installations in the GMDSS
• Details of Carriage Requirements
• Details of Communication Equipment used in each area
• Various Shipboard Communication Equipment
WHAT IS GMDSS?

• GMDSS stands for Global Maritime Distress and Safety System. It

is a set of international rules, procedures, and technologies that
enable ships and shore stations to communicate in case of
emergency or routine situations.
 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF GMDSS
• 1960s- IMO recognized that satellites would play an important role in search
and rescue operations at sea

• 1976- IMO established the International Maritime Satellite Organization

(Inmarsat) to provide emergency maritime communications

• 1988- IMO’s Member States adopted the basic requirements of the global
maritime distress and safety system or GMDSS as part of SOLAS, and the
system was phased in from 1992 onwards.
 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF GMDSS

• Before GMDSS, the main system for maritime safety communication was the
Morse code telegraphy, which required skilled operators and manual
intervention. This system was not very reliable, efficient, or user-friendly,
especially in harsh weather conditions or remote areas. Moreover, it did not
provide automatic identification, location, or acknowledgement of distress
calls, which could lead to delays or confusion in rescue operations.
 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF GMDSS
• GMDSS was developed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), a
specialized agency of the United Nations that regulates maritime safety,
security, and environmental protection. The IMO started working on GMDSS
in the 1970s, after several maritime disasters highlighted the need for a more
modern and comprehensive system. The IMO adopted the GMDSS concept in
1988 and made it mandatory for all passenger ships and cargo ships over 300
gross tonnage in 1999.
 DATES OF IMPLEMENTATION

• February 1, 1992 - ships may comply with the GMDSS requirements

• August 1, 1993- ships must comply with satellite EPIRB and NAVTEX
requirements
• February 1, 1995- ships built on or after this date must fully comply with the
GMDSS requirements
• February 1, 1999- ships must comply with the GMDSS requirements
 DEVELOPMENTS OF GMDSS
After the final inception of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System
(GMDSS) in the maritime industry, several developments have occurred and
are expected to take place. These include:

• Advancements in Communication Technology

• Integration with Navigation Systems
• Enhanced Search and Rescue (SAR) Capabilities
• Cybersecurity Measures
• Regulatory Updates
 BASIC CONCEPT OF GMDSS

• Equipment carriage
• Search and rescue
• Maritime Safety Information
BASIC CONCEPT OF GMDSS
 BASIC CONCEPT OF GMDSS

Equipment carriage

A major difference between the GMDSS and the previous wireless telegraphy
and radio telephony systems is that the equipment to be carried by a ship
should be determined by its area of operation, rather than by its size.
 BASIC CONCEPT OF GMDSS
Search and rescue

• The GMDSS uses modern technology including satellite communications and digital
selective calling techniques in the MF, HF and VHF bands (the latter known as
terrestrial systems) enabling a distress alert to be transmitted and received
automatically over short and long distances.

• The system allows search and rescue authorities ashore, as well as shipping in the
vicinity of the ship in distress, to be rapidly alerted to a distress incident so that they
can assist in a coordinated search and rescue operation with the minimum of delay
 BASIC CONCEPT OF GMDSS
Maritime Safety Information
• Additionally, the GMDSS provides for urgency and safety communications and
the dissemination of maritime safety information (MSI) (navigational and
meteorological information) to ships. Two systems are used for broadcasting
MSI.
• They are provided specifically to serve the requirements of Chapter IV of the
1974 SOLAS Convention, as amended, in the areas covered by these systems:
• NAVTEX — which uses MF radio to provide coastal warnings
• SafetyNET — which uses Inmarsat satellites to provide coverage from about 76
degrees north to 76 degrees south latitude
 SEA AREA

• Because of the various radio systems used in the GMDSS have different
limitations with regards to range and services provided, the new system
divides the world’s ocean into 4
Sea Area 1
Sea Area 2
Sea Area 3
Sez Area 4
GMDSS Sea Area 1
An area within the radiotelephone
coverage of at least one VHF coast
station in which continuous DSC
alerting is available as defined by
the International Maritime
Organization. Such area could
extend typically 30-50 nautical miles
from the coast station.
GMDSS Sea Area 2
An area, excluding sea area A1,
within the radiotelephone coverage
of at least one MF coast station in
which continuous DSC alerting is
available as defined by the
International Maritime
Organization. Such area could
extend typically 50-400 nautical
miles from the coast station.
GMDSS Sea Area 3
The area, excluding sea areas A1
and A2, within the coverage of a
recognized mobile satellite service
supported by the ship earth station
carried on board in which
continuous alerting is available.
These area lies between about
latitudes 70 degrees North and
South.
GMDSS Sea Area 4

An area outside sea areas A1, A2 and

A3.
 FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS
The GMDSS provides that every ship, while at sea, shall be able to perform the
following nine basic communication functions:
TRANSMITTING:
ship-to-shore distress alerts (by at least two separate and independent
methods)
RECEIVING:
ship-to-shore distress alerts (by at least two separate and independent
methods)
 FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS
TRANSMITTING AND RECEIVING:
ship-to-ship distress alerts
search and rescue coordinating communications
on-scene communications
signals for locating
maritime safety information
general communications
bridge-to-bridge communications
 MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
Every GMDSS ship is required to carry the following minimum equipment (as defined by
SOLAS Chapter IV, regulation 7):
• A VHF radio installation capable of transmitting DSC on channel 70, and radiotelephony on
channels 16, 13 and 6;
• A SART (Two on vessels over 500 GRT, one on vessels 300 – 500 GRT);
• A NAVTEX receiver, if the ship is engaged on voyages in any area where a NAVTEX service is
provided;
• An Inmarsat EGC receiver, if the ship is engaged on voyages in any area of Inmarsat coverage
where MSI services are not provided by NAVTEX or HF NBDP; and
• A 406 MHz EPIRB. Vessels trading exclusively in sea area A1 may fit a VHF DSC EPIRB in lieu
of a 406 MHz EPIRB).
EQUIPMENT CARRIAGE REQUIREMENT S
FOR GMDSS SEA AREAS

• The carriage requirements for the various GMDSS Sea Areas are defined in
the following regulations taken from Chapter IV of SOLAS. Detailed
guidelines when implementing new GMDSS installations on board SOLAS
ships should be referred to IMO Circular COMSAR.1/Circ.32.
DETAILS OF THE RADIO INSTALLATIONS

• A 406 MHz EPIRB, installed close to, or capable of remote activation from the position
from which the ship is normally navigated

• A VHF DSC EPIRB, installed close to, or capable of remote activation from the position
from which the ship is normally navigated

• An MF radio installation capable of transmitting and receiving, for distress and safety
purposes, on the frequencies: 2 187.5 kHz using DSC; and 2 182 kHz using radiotelephony.

• A DSC watchkeeping receiver operating on 2 187.5 kHz

DETAILS OF THE RADIO INSTALLATION

• A MF DSC System, if the ship is engaged on voyages within coverage of MF coast stations
equipped with DSC

• A HF DSC System, if the ship is engaged on voyages within coverage of MF coast stations
equipped with DSC

• An Inmarsat ship earth station. capable of two-way communications, such as Inmarsat-B,

Fleet 77 or Inmarsat-C ship earth stations.
 RADIO EQUIPMENT SEA AREA 1

In addition to the equipment prescribed in section Minimum requirements,

every ship engaged on voyages exclusively in Sea Area A1 shall be provided
with either of the following installations for the transmission of ship-shore
Distress Alerts:
• A 406 MHz EPIRB
• A VHF DSC EPIRB
• A MF DSC System
• A HF DSC System
• An Inmarsat ship earth station.
RADIO EQUIPMENT SEA AREAS 1 AND 2
In addition to the equipment prescribed in section Minimum
requirements, every ship engaged on voyages beyond Sea Area A1,
but remaining within Sea Area A2, shall be provided with:
• An MF radio installation
• A DSC watchkeeping receiver operating on 2 187.5 kHz
• A 406 MHz EPIRB
• A HF DSC system
• An Inmarsat ship earth station
 RADIO EQUIPMENT SEA AREAS 1,2 AND 3
These vessels have two broad options to satisfy their GMDSS
requirements. The options allow a vessel to choose the primary
method to be used for ship-shore alerting:
OPTION 1
• An Inmarsat-C ship earth station;
• An MF radio installation
• A DSC watchkeeping receiver
• A 406 MHz EPIRB
• A HF DSC system.
RADIO EQUIPMENT SEA AREAS 1,2 AND 3

These vessels have two broad options to satisfy their GMDSS

requirements. The options allow a vessel to choose the primary
method to be used for ship-shore alerting:
OPTION 2
• An MF/HF radio installation
• A MF/HF DSC watchkeeping receiver
• A 406 MHz EPIRB
• An Inmarsat ship earth station
 RADIO EQUIPMENT SEA AREAS 1,2,3 and
4

In addition to the equipment prescribed in section Minimum

requirements, every ship engaged on voyages in all Sea Areas shall
be provided with:

• An MF/HF radio installation

• A MF/HF DSC watchkeeping receiver
• A 406 MHz EPIRB