Maritime Safety Information (MSI) can be distributed to ships over two Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) terminals following approval from the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA)
International law requires mariners to have a terminal capable of receiving MSI such as navigation and meteorological warnings, throughout their voyage including when vessels move outside the range of services known as Navtex, which sends safety updates automatically via radio.
Satellite services recognised by IMO are used beyond the range of Navtex. Inmarsat has provided these services through its constellation of geostationary orbit satellites since the introduction of GMDSS and Iridium has recently introduced an IMO-approved GMDSS service for emergency communications and MSI distribution over its low Earth orbit satellites.
Following a successful trial period, MSI can be provided by either the existing Inmarsat SafetyNET or the new Iridium SafetyCast satellite services in NAVAREA I and METAREA I – the maritime geographic area co-ordinated by the UK.
The MCA, in partnership with the UK Hydrographic Office and the Met Office, tested Iridium after IMO recognised it as part of the GMDSS. It is now fully operational in the UK area, as of 19 December 2022.
As well as receiving weather warnings and safety information, both Inmarsat and Iridium send and receive distress alerts, and enable crucial direct communication in search and rescue situations.
Following approval of the Iridium service, surveys and safety inspections of vessels in the UK will continue as before.
Checks could be made to ensure the risks relating to those METAREAs and NAVAREAs which have not declared full operational capability have been considered and mitigated.
“The safety of seafarers is of the utmost importance to us,” said MCA director of UK maritime services Katy Ware. “We enforce international rules around sending and receiving MSI as part of that commitment,” she said. “Iridium had – as did Inmarsat previously – to pass rigorous trials and safety tests prior to approval.”
There are 21 NAVAREAs and METAREAs in the world. NAVAREAS are maritime geographic areas where specific governments are responsible for navigational warnings.
METAREAs are similar to the above but for meteorological forecasts and warnings.
