Global Maritime Distress and Safety System Radio has been the foundation of distress and safety systems used by ships for the safety of human life at sea in 1899. It was soon realized that to be effective a radio based distress and safety system had to be founded on internationally agreed rules concerning the type […]

GMDSS Sea Areas For the needs of the G.M.D.S.S applications, sea areas have been world widely characterized as: Sea Area A1. Within the radiotelephone coverage of at least one VHF coast station in which continuous DSC alerting is available. Such an area could extend typically 20- 50 nautical miles from the coast station. Sea Area […]

Every vessel during at sea has to be capable of performing the nine radio-communication functions of the GMDSS, viz: – Transmission of ship-to-shore distress alerts by at least two separate and independent means, each using a different radio-communication service. – Reception of shore-to-ship distress alerts. – Transmission and reception of ship-to-ship distress alerts. – Transmission […]

They are divided into conventional and satellite communications Conventional (terrestrial) communications: They operate in the MF, HF, and VHF frequency areas. They use the digital selective-calling (DSC), radiotelephony, radioteletypy, NAVTEX and RADAR transmitters. Satellite communications: They are conducted via the satellite systems Inmarsat and Compass-Sarsat. Inmarsat: International satellite maritime organization that operates with four geostationary […]

The first venture of man to use the aquatic element for his transportation took place when he observed that some objects could float on the water, and consequently could help him to achieve his purpose. Thus, starting by the tree log and by joining more than one, he constructed the first raft that was gradually […]

Maritime safety information (MSI) are in fact navigational and meteorological warnings and notices concerning navigation safety which are transmitted from coast stations to the vessels. There are seven basic categories of MSI: • Navigational Warnings; • Meteorological Warnings; • Ice Reports; • Search and Rescue information; • Meteorological forecasts; • Pilot service messages; • Electronic […]