UK amends marine information note on Iridium GMDSS recognised mobile satellite service

UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency has published the Marine Information Note (MIN) 636 Amendment 3. This notice was published on December 19th, 2022 and it replaces MIN 636 Amendment 2.

This MIN is intended to provide awareness and advise UK flag vessels and the Authorised Persons described in MGN 608 (M+F) of the Iridium recognised mobile satellite service in the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS).

Amendments are made in chapter 1 (Iridium GMDSS Satellite Services):

1.3 The Iridium GMDSS Satellite Service is operating globally; however, the Iridium SafetyCast service for GMDSS Maritime Safety Information (MSI) should only be relied upon for safety purposes in areas where the MSI provider, the corresponding NAVAREA or METAREA coordinator, declares themselves at Full Operational Capability (FOC) with SafetyCast. IMO publishes the status in its Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS).

1.4 Vessels operating outside NAVTEX service areas and relying upon Iridium SafetyCast for MSI should mitigate the risks of operating in an area where an MSI provider has not declared itself at FOC with SafetyCast. Failure to mitigate these risks may be contrary to the requirements of the ISM Code.

Amendments made in chapter 3 (Iridium GMDSS Maritime Safety Information (MSI) via Enhanced Group Calling (EGC)) are:

3.1 NAVAREA and METAREA Co-ordinators are working to establish the broadcast of MSI over the Iridium SafetyCast service for automatic reception onboard. Mariners are to remain mindful that the service will reach FOC at different times in different NAVAREAs and METAREAs. A vessel cannot assume a NAVAREA or METAREA coordinator will broadcast the MSI for their area via Iridium unless the coordinator has declared FOC or IMO publishes them as ‘operational’ in GISIS.

3.2 Vessels relying on Iridium terminals for MSI (via EGC) reception, for areas which are not at FOC or ‘operational’, should ensure that they mitigate the associated risks.

3.3 NAVAREA I and METAREA I have declared FOC for the Iridium SafetyCast service and this is published as ‘operational’ by the IMO.

Chapter 4 (Summary) is edited as well:

4.3 Vessels relying upon Iridium SafetyCast service for MSI should mitigate risks in areas where a corresponding MSI provider has not declared FOC with SafetyCast.

RELEVANT DOCUMENT (AVAILABLE ONLY TO SUBSCRIBERS):

Radio Communications - Iridium GMDSS Recognised Mobile Satellite Service