52(66) Mandatory Ship Reporting Systems "The Torres Strait Region and the inner Route of the Great Barrier Reef" (MSC.161(78) MSC.127(75) MSC.251(83))

Mandatory ship reporting systems The Torres Strait Region and the Inner Route of the Great Barrier Reef

		dd-mm-yyyy = Entry into force
Document	Res.52(66)	01-01-1997
Amended by	Res.161(78)	01-12-2004
Amended by	Res.127(75)	01-05-2003
Amended by	Res.251(83)	01-05-2008
Amended by	Res.315(89)	01-07-2011

MANDATORY SHIP REPORTING SYSTEMS

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/8-1 of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974, concerning the adoption by the Organization of ship reporting systems,

RECALLING FURTHER resolution A.826(19) which authorizes the Committee to perform the function of adopting ship reporting systems on behalf of the Organization,

TAKING INTO ACCOUNT the Guidelines and criteria for ship reporting systems adopted by resolution MSC.43(64),

HAVING CONSIDERED the recommendations of the Sub-Committee on Safety of Navigation at its forty-first session,

1. ADOPTS, in accordance with SOLAS regulation V/8-1, mandatory ship reporting systems:
   
   • "In the Torres Strait region and the Inner route of the Great Barrier Reef" described in Annex 1 to the present resolution; and
   • "Off Ushant" described in Annex 2 to the present resolution;
     
2. DECIDES that the mandatory ship reporting system:
   
   • "In the Torres Strait and the Inner route of the Great Barrier Reef" will enter into force at 0000 UTC hours on 1 January 1997; and
   • "Off Ushant" will enter into force at 0000 UTC hours on [30 November 1996];
     
3. REQUESTS the Secretary-General to bring this resolution and its Annexes to the attention of Members of the Organization and Contracting Governments to the 1974 SOLAS Convention.
   
   

Annex 1 The Torres Strait Region and the Inner Route of the Great Barrier Reef

Annex 1 - The Torres Strait Region and the Inner Route of the Great Barrier Reef

1 Categories of ships required to participate in the system

2 Geographical coverage of the system

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 reporting system will cover the general area, as shown in the chartlet at appendix 1, covering the Torres Strait between longitude 141º 45'E and 143º45'E, centred on 10ºS latitude, including the Endeavour Strait, and the waters of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) between the Australian coast and the outer edge of the GBR, from the latitude of Cape York (10º40'S) southwards to 22ºS.

2.2 Charts AUS 376 (Torres/Endeavour Straits) and AUS 367, AUS 370-375 (Queensland coast) provide large-scale coverage of the operational area; also international series small scale charts AUS 4602 and 4603.

3 Format and content of report

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

The ship report short title "REEFREP", will be made to the ship reporting centre located at Hay Point in Queensland. Examples of the format and content of all required reports are shown at appendix 2. A ship may elect, for reasons of commercial confidentiality, to communicate that section of the REEFREP ENTRY report which provides information on cargo (line P) by non-verbal means prior to entering the system. This can be achieved by including cargo information in the AUSREP Sailing Plan (SP) message.

• Entry and Exit Reports: Ships will be required to provide a full REEFREP Position Report (PR) when passing the first designated reporting point on entering the REEFREP operational area, unless an AUSREP Sailing Plan (SP) message has been sent well in advance in which case an abbreviated REEFREP PR will suffice. When finally departing the REEFREP area, or entering a port within the area, the REEFREP system will associate the required PR and the designated reporting point and automatically recognize this report as an exit message.
  
• Intermediate Position Reports: Ships transiting the operational area will also be required to provide brief position reports at defined reporting points using normal PR formats.
  The intermediate reporting positions will be generally about 100-120 nautical miles apart. Position reports will be limited to the identity of the ship, position, any variation to the last reported speed and any further information the master considers to be of value to the system.
  
• Defect Reports: Ships within the reporting area suffering damage, failure or breakdown affecting the safety of the ship will be required to provide a defect report using field "?" within the prescribed PR message format. 
  

3 Format and contents of report

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

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

4.1 The ship reporting centre will provide information to shipping on potentially conflicting traffic movements resulting from the analysis of incoming reports.

4.2 Certain sections of the route in the Torres Strait and the far northern sector of the inner route of the GBR present a particular navigational hazard in situations where large ships might be passing or overtaking, especially deeper draught ships. When the ship reporting centre considers that ships are approaching such sections, any relevant traffic information held by the centre will be passed to them. Because of the extensive size of the REEFREP area it is not be intended to routinely broadcast traffic information across the whole area but to advise individual ships as necessary.

4.3 Traffic information, including other advice received from ships or local maritime authorities which impacts on navigational safety will be passed to ships in relevant areas. Examples include concentrations of fishing vessels, unusual weather conditions, etc.

4.4 Normal maritime safety information (MSI) in the form of navigational warnings (AUSCOAST Warnings) will continue to be issued in the appropriate broadcasts from MRCC AUSTRALIA. The ship reporting centre will maintain details of MSI for the REEFREP area for the information of participating ships.

5 Communication required for the system

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

5.1 The system will be based on VHF voice communications and will be interactive with an interchange of data between ships and the ship reporting centre.

5.2 VHF channels 5, 18 and 19 in the international maritime mobile band have been allocated for the reporting points in the system.

5.3 Information of commercial confidentiality may be transmitted by non-verbal means.

5.4 The language used for reports in the system will be English, using the IMO Standard Marine Communications Phrases where necessary.

5.5 Communications associated with reporting in accordance with the requirements of this system will be free of charge.

6 Rules and regulations in force in the area of the system

7 Shore-based facilities to support operation of the system

7 Shore-based facilities to support operation of the system

7.1 The existing port information centre at Hay Point, on the central Queensland coast, close to the main shipping route through the inner route of the GBR and Hydrographer's Passage, has been designated as the ship reporting centre for the system.

7.2 The system will include radar coverage at certain focal areas in the Torres Strait and inner route of the GBR. Radar will be installed in the Torres Strait, in the vicinity of Cairns and in the Whitsunday Islands area.

7.3 All VHF communications and radar data will be relayed into the ship reporting centre, which will be equipped to provide a high standard of service to meet the system requirements and will be operated by trained and experienced personnel. Operator standards will be in accordance with "Guidelines on the Recruitment, Qualification and Training of Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) Operators" (MSC/Circ.578).

7.4 The hardware and software for the system is being developed.

7.5 The system will be operated to quality standards with service levels being constantly
monitored.

7.6 Measures are in hand to install DGPS Broadcast Stations operating in the MF band
(285-325 kHz) on Horn Island (Torres Strait) by the end of 1995 and further stations in the inner route of the GBR during 1996/98. The DGPS service will provide additional high accuracy navigational assistance throughout the reporting area.

7.7 The REEFREP ship reporting system information will be interfaced with the AUSREP
system operated by MRCC AUSTRALIA. 

8 Alternative communication

9 Measures to be taken if ship fails to comply with the requirements of the system

Appendix 1 Proposed ship reporting system

APPENDIX 1

Proposed ship reporting system Torres Strait and Great Barrier Reef Areas

Appendix 2 Reefrep

APPENDIX 2

1 Reefrep entry (full report)

2 Reefrep report

3 Reefrep defect

4 Reefrep exit

Appendix 3 Participating in APR via Inmarsat-C

Annex 2 Mandatory Ship Reporting system "Off Ushant"

Annex 2 - Mandatory Ship Reporting system "Off Ushant"

1 Categories of ships required to participate in the system

2 Geographical coverage of the system

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

The reporting system covers a circular area 35 miles in radius centred on the Ile d'Ouesant  (Stiff radar tower). The TSS covers the entire area. However, the Corsen/Ouessant vessel traffic service gathers all information relating to traffic within the area for which the MRCC Corsen is responsible, bounded as follows:

-	to the south:	parallel 47º47.9'N (via the Pointe de Penmarc'h)
-	to the west:	meridian 008º W
-	to the north:	a line connecting the positions
-		-	48º50'N - 008º00' W
-		-	49º30'N - 004º00' W
-		-	48º53'N - 002º20' W
-		-	48º49' N - 001º49' W
-		-	48º37'.5N - 001º34'W (Baie de Mont St. Michel)

The reference chart which includes all the area of coverage for the system is the French chart No. 6989 of the Navy Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service.

3 Format and contents of report

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

The reports required from ships entering the area covered by the system are position reports similar to the MAREP POSREP type reports sent to the VTS by ships reporting within the scheme.

A ship may elect, for reasons of commercial confidentiality, to communicate that section of
the report which provides information on cargo by non-verbal means prior to entering the system.

The information given below is derived from the format-type given in paragraph 2 of the
appendix to resolution A.648(16) of IMO.

3.1 Content
The report required should include

1. information considered to be essential:
   • the name of the ship, its call sign or IMO identification number, its position (letters A and C or D);
   • information considered necessary;
   • the course and speed of the ship (letters E and F). When they receive a position report message, the VTS operators attempt to correlate the position of the ship with the information at their disposal:
     
     
     • radar echo at the position indicated
     • direction-finder readings
     • description of the surroundings given by the ship's watch - position in relation to other ships (in the event of heavy traffic)
     • course and speed.
     
     Information on course and speed are therefore additional elements allowing
     the VTS operators to correlate the position announced and, if necessary, to
     identify one ship among a group of ships;
     
   • access to the north-eastbound lane of the "Off Ushant" traffic separation scheme is prohibited to certain cargoes (oils, noxious liquid substances MARPOL A and B in particular). In order to allow the VTS operators to monitor application of the traffic regulations within the TSS approved by IMO, ships requiring to transit in the north-eastbound lane must confirm that they are not transporting a cargo for which passage in this area is prohibited;
     and
     
2. in addition, in accordance with the provisions of the SOLAS and MARPOL Conventions, the ships must report information relating to defects, damage,
   deficiencies or other limitations as well as, if necessary, information relating to pollution incidents or loss of cargo.

3.2 Recipient of report
The shore-based authority is the Corsen/Ouessant vessel traffic service (voice communication sign "Ushant Traffic") installed at the CROSS CORSEN site. The Regional Centre for Surveillance and Rescue Operations - CROSS CORSEN is a service provided by the Department of Maritime Affairs, a department of the Ministry of Equipment, Transport and Tourism. It combines the maritime rescue coordination centre (MRCC) and the VTS as well as carrying out functions for the
French Administration (monitoring fishing, monitoring pollution).

The VTS broadcasts a regular information bulletin at H + 10 mn and H + 40 mn. This bulletin includes:

• information on traffic
• urgent warnings to mariners concerning the area
• special weather bulletins

In addition, a regular weather bulletin is broadcast every three hours from 01H50 UTC.

This information is broadcast in French and in English on VHF channel 79 after a call on channel 16.

If necessary, the VTS is capable of providing individual information to a ship, in particular with regard to positioning and navigational assistance.

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

5 Communication required for the system

6 Rules and regulations in force in the area of the system

7 Shore-based facilities to support operation of the system

8 Alternative communication

Appendix The report required should include:

Summary

SUMMARY

1 General

1.1 Vessels concerned: all vessels having a gross registered tonnage equal to or exceeding 300 tons.

1.2 Area on entering which the vessels should report:
- on entering a circular area 35 miles in radius centred on the Ile d'Ouessant (Stiff radar tower).

1.3 Reference chart: chart No. 6989 of the French Navy Hydrographic and Oceanographic Department.

1.4 Reporting format (in accordance with resolution A.648(16) on General principles for ship reporting systems and ship reporting requirements, including guidelines for reporting incidents involving dangerous goods, harmful substances and/or marine pollutants).

Name of system:	OUESSREP
Data to be transmitted:
Heading:	Information
A	Name + call sign + IMO number
C or D	Position
E	Course
F	Speed;
P	Cargo if presence on board of potentially dangerous cargoes (for vessels in the north-eastbound lane).
Q	Defects (if relevant)
R	Pollution/dangerous goods lost overboard (if relevant)

In the event of defect, pollution or goods lost overboard, additional information may be requested.

1.5 Authority to whom the report should be sent:
Regional Centre for Surveillance and Rescue Operations at Corsen/Ouessant (CROSS Corsen), call sign USHANT TRAFFIC.

(In addition to the vessel traffic service (VTS), the Centre carries out the functions of a rescue co-ordination centre (RCC), call sign CROSS CORSEN).

1.6 Communication facilities
The reports will be transmitted by radio telephone in VHF on channel 13 or, in the event of failure, on channel 79, according to the information given by the Centre.

It is proposed that the reports be transmitted in the future by automatic means when the relevant standards have been put in place by the Organization.

• Informatietype: Internationaal
• Documentsoort: Resolutie
• Toegangsrechten: Extern
• Identificatie: PUC_1378_14
• Versie: 1
• Datum beschikbaarheid: 22-07-2011
• Geldigheid van: 30-11-1996
• tot en met: 31-12-1996
• Wijzigingsdatum: 24-11-2016
• Titel: 52(66) Mandatory Ship Reporting Systems "The Torres Strait Region and the inner Route of the Great Barrier Reef" (MSC.161(78) MSC.127(75) MSC.251(83))
• Organisatie: International Maritime Organization (IMO)
• Taal: Nederlands
• Thema: MSC/Res. 001 until 099