RESOLUTION A.701(17)
adopted on 6 November 1991
CARRIAGE FOR ENSURING ENHANCED GROUP CALL SAFETYNET
RECEIVERS UNDER THE
GLOBAL MARITIME DISTRESS AND SAFETY SYSTEM (GMDSS)
( SOLAS Regs IV/14.1 and V/20)
THE ASSEMBLY,
RECALLING Article 15(j) of the Convention on the International Maritime Organization
concerning the functions of the Assembly in relation to regulations and guidelines
concerning maritime safety,
RECALLING ALSO that carriage of INMARSAT SafetyNET receive facilities is
required under regulation IV/7.1.5 of the 1988 amendments to the 1974 SOLAS
Convention concerning radiocommunications for the global maritime distress and safety
system,
RECOGNIZING that performance standards for such equipment are prescribed in
resolution A.664(16),
NOTING that resolution A.702(17) on radio maintenance guidelines for the GMDSS
related to sea areas A3 and A4, does not require duplication of the enhanced group call
receive facility in ships opting for equipment duplication,
NOTING ALSO that resolution A.664(16) allows such equipment to be combined with
an INMARSAT-C or INMARSAT-A ship earth station (SES), or other equipment,
NOTING FURTHER that such equipment combined with another SES may miss
important maritime safety information (MSI), if that SES is left tuned to an ocean region
satellite other than the one broadcasting relevant maritime safety information,
RECOMMENDS that, in order to ensure reception of MSI broadcasts via the
International SafetyNET service:
(a) MSI providers make:
(i) unscheduled SafetyNET broadcasts of distress alerts and urgent warnings
through all INMARSAT ocean region satellites covering their area of
responsibility;
(ii) routine SafetyNET broadcasts through at least one designated satellite in
accordance with a pre-arranged schedule co-ordinated by the Organization;
(b) Governments ensure that up-to-date publications providing information on MSI
broadcasts are included among the nautical publications required to be carried
aboard ships in accordance with SOLAS regulation V/20;
(c) Governments encourage ships to carry an INMARSAT enhanced group call
receive facility, with an omnidirectional antenna, dedicated to the reception of
MSI via the international SafetyNET service.