International Journal

on Marine Navigation

and Safety of Sea Transportation

Volume 3

Number 1

March 2009

Some Radiocommunication Aspects

of e-Navigation

K. Korcz

Gdynia Maritime University, Gdynia, Poland

1 INTRODUCTION

The MSC (Maritime Safety Committee) at its

eighty-first session agreed to add a high priority item

on the Development of an e-Navigation strategy to

the work programme of Safety of Navigation (NAV)

and Radiocommunications, Search and Rescue

(COMSAR) Sub-Committees. As outlined in the

document MSC 81/23/10 which proposes the devel-

opment of an e-Navigation strategy, it is envisaged

that a data communication network will be one of

the most important parts of the e-Navigation strategy

plan. In order to realize efficient and effective pro-

cess of data communication for e-Navigation sys-

tem, existing GMDSS equipment, as well as new ra-

dio communication systems could be utilized.

Ten years have passed since the time when the

Global Maritime Distress and Safety System

(GMDSS) became introduced. Planning for the

GMDSS started more than 25 years ago, whereas its

elements have been in place for many years.

There have been numerous advances in the use of

telecommunications to further maritime safety, secu-

rity and environmental protection during these peri-

ods. Although Inmarsat has provided significant ad-

vances for the collection and dissemination of

Maritime Safety Information (MSI), distress alert re-

ception and follow-on Search And Rescue (SAR)

coordination communications, and the changes and

upgrades, such as paperless NAVTEX receivers

have been made, there is no systematic, planned

programme to ensure the GMDSS remains modern

and fully responsive to the needs of maritime safety

and security.

On the other hand there are some obsolete

GMDSS equipment and systems which had saldom

or never been used in practice. For example NBDP

had never been used for distress and safety purposes.

After the activation of a distress alert on MF/HF

DSC, the distress and safety communication is es-

tablished on a MF/HF radiotelephony frequency on-

ly.

Not only in the Author’s opinion, the time is ripe

to start the wide discussion on the real condition of

the marine radiocommunication, with reference to

the current discussion on the e-Navigation strategy.

In the paper the discussion course at COMSAR Sub-

Committee meetings has been taken into account as

well.

ABSTRACT: In the paper some radiocommunication issues concerning Global Maritime Distress and Safety

System (GMDSS) in respect of the e - Navigation have been described. Some aspects of the existing tech-

nical and regulation constraints and limitations referring to GMDSS equipment and systems have been given.

The issues relating to the need of GMDSS modernization taking into account new technology and the discus-

sion on the e-Navigation program have been presented.

2 GMDSS AND THE E-NAVITATION

PROGRAMME

For e-Navigation purposes, the COMSAR Sub-

Committee considered the implications of develop-

ing a common information data source, delivering

resilient communications, data provision and integri-

ty, based on the requirements and the general con-

clusions from the preliminary user needs analysis.

In the consideration the following high level user

needs have been addressed as a minimum:

− Common Maritime Information Data Structure;

− Automated and Standardized Reporting Func-

tions;

− Human Centred Presentation Needs;

− Effective and Robust Ship and Shore communica-

tions;

− Human Machine Interface;

− Data and System Integrity;

− Analysis.

During the discussion at the COMSAR Sub-

Committee meetings it was agreed that the needs of

seafarers were central in the development of the e-

Navigation strategy. However, authorities also had

valid security, environmental, and search and rescue

responsibilities. Ship and shore needs needed to be

treated as a whole. Further e-Navigation can be used

as a way to increase shore control over shipping.

This should not be implied in the consideration of

the needs of the shore component. The need for

ships to keep appropriate autonomous control was to

be maintained.

Although it was appropriate to start work on the

technical aspects of communications supporting e-

Navigation now, the e-Navigation strategy was still

not complete, so this work had to be considered as

preliminary and would have to be revised at a later

date. However before further consideration some

basic assumptions should be made:

− it should concern data communications; voice

communications would also form a part of e-

Navigation, but the present emphasis was pri-

marily on data transfer;

− there would be different requirements for data

availability depending upon the nature of the in-

formation being transmitted; for instance, infor-

mation that was time and safety critical needed to

be transmitted and received by the affected users

quickly and reliably, whilst less time critical in-

formation would have a lower priority;

− the ship would receive a lot of information and it

was important for the crew to be able to manage

these data effectively;

− e-Navigation should not be seen as limited to

safety and security at sea and protection of the

marine environment functions only, as efficiency

was an important potential benefit for ships and

their crews; and

− data communications via satellite, as well as over

terrestrial links, e.g., Medium Frequency (MF),

High Frequency (HF), and Very High Frequency

(VHF) would be used.

In general a ship in port could receive e-

Navigation information through a wire. For wireless

systems the expansion of bandwidth needs in the fu-

ture should be expected. Therefore a wide variety of

communications links could be foreseen, and it was

too early to exclude any possibility.

Based on the findings of the Correspondence

Group on e-Navigation strategy, including the above

mentioned assumptions and discussion during the

COMSAR Sub-Committee meetings the following

recommendations and guidance could be given.

2.1 Existing international regulations and

standards relevant to the high level

communications

With respect to existing international regulations and

standards relevant to the high level communications,

it can be agreed that the user needs, as identified in

SOLAS regulation IV/4, were the following data

functions (also see Table 1) (IMO. 2004):

1 transmitting ship-to-shore distress alerts;

2 receiving shore-to-ship distress alerts;

3 transmitting and receiving ship-to-ship distress

alerts;

4 transmitting and receiving search and rescue co-

ordinating communications;

5 transmitting and receiving on-scene communica-

tions;

6 transmitting and receiving signals for locating;

7 transmitting and receiving maritime safety infor-

mation;

8 transmitting and receiving general radiocommu-

nications to and from shore-based radio systems

or networks; and

9 transmitting and receiving bridge-to-bridge com-

munications.

While the COMSAR Sub-Committee meetings

also noted that the user needs other than the GMDSS

functional requirements and related equipment did

not fall within its remit, however, it decided to addi-

tionally consider Automated Identification System

(AIS), Long-Range Identification and Tracking Sys-

tem (LRIT) and Ship Security Alert System (SSAS)

equipment, as specified in SOLAS regulations V/19,

V/19-1 and XI-2/6 respectively. Additional user

needs might be included at a later occasion as the

development of e-Navigation was an ongoing pro-

cess.

Table 1. Existing user needs relating to SOLAS Reg. IV/4

___________________________________________________

User needs

SOLAS 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9)

IV/4

___________________________________________________

VHF-DSC x x x x x x x

___________________________________________________

SART x

___________________________________________________

NAVTEX x

___________________________________________________

EGC x

___________________________________________________

EPIRB x x

___________________________________________________

MF/DSC x x x x x x x x

___________________________________________________

Inmarsat SES x x x x x x x

___________________________________________________

HF/DSC x x x x x x

___________________________________________________

Two-way VHF x x x

___________________________________________________

2.2 Existing international regulations and

standards identified which would need to be

addressed, or further developed, to provide a

harmonized resilient system

There are about 130 performance standards and test

standards related to GMDSS equipment mandatory

or not mandatory according to SOLAS. As of today,

taking into account present development of the ma-

rine electronics systems, about 10 of them should be

modified or suppressed and about 40 should be defi-

nitely suppressed as obsolete. But it is difficult to

identify in details which existing regulations and

standards would need to be further developed or re-

vised because the e-Navigation system was still at an

early stage of development.

2.3 Existing technical constraints and limitations,

in terms of bandwidth, frequency and power

consumption

E-navigation should not be limited to communica-

tions using existing equipment, but the first phase

should be to make better use of existing technology.

Other technologies could come later. It had to be

recognized that there were limitations on spectrum

availability and that other types of technology might

have to be used. It might also be necessary to pay for

data communications. It is also recognized that the

current systems were not adequate for expected

types of high rate data ( for example Inmarsat C had

a data rate of 600 bps). There are no mandated re-

quirement for a higher data rate but other satellite

systems are available and can possibly be used for

transfer of e-Navigation data.

2.4 How should communications and information

systems be developed and coordinated

internationally and within technical standards

for data structure, technology, bandwidth and

frequency allocations?

There is a need to have a common data structure and

management so that the information would be avail-

able on board and could be used by different systems

without the need to have to continually re-enter data.

This would reduce the administrative load on ship

crew as various reporting requirements could be ex-

tracted through filters automatically.

2.5 Potential regulatory and technical problems

that will need to be overcome considering that

e-Navigation is to be scaleable across small and

large vessels alike

The question of e-Navigation being scaleable across

small and large vessels alike is of relevance when

small vessels and SOLAS ships needed to access e-

Navigation data. National maritime administrations

would need to include smaller vessels in the e-

Navigation system. However, small vessels might

have other means in addition to mandatory commu-

nications equipment such as VHF, of obtaining e-

Navigation information such as mobile phones.

Smaller vessels might also have power limitations

and smaller presentation displays. In addition, the

level of training might not be of the same standard

as for SOLAS ships.

2.6 Measures to reduce the number of false distress

alerts

The consequences need to be borne in mind. In order

to reduce the occurrence of false distress alerts a uni-

fied written operating procedure and method in ini-

tiating distress alert had to be in place, a unified high

rate of false alerts could be due to crew not being

familiar with the operation of DSC devices, not fol-

lowing IMO guidelines and procedures or usage is-

sues, i.e. the question of human machine interface

problems.

The false alerts were occurring only in the

GMDSS system and were an unintended conse-

quence. The e-Navigation concept was still being

developed but the possibility of similar unintended

set of specifications for distress alert buttons should

be provided to avoid confusion among users and a

unified, effective and safe test function should be

provided on the equipment.

The false alert problem touches on almost every

subject of concern to the COMSAR Sub-Committee,

including GMDSS, and Search and Rescue proce-

dures. Because of the early and preliminary nature of

the e-Navigation strategy development, there is no

way to find a solution at this time from an e-

Navigation perspective. However, it demonstrates

the importance of standardization, clear procedures

and effective training (MSC/Circ.1091) in the devel-

opment of e-Navigation.

3 NEED OF GMDSS MODIFICATION

In 1988, the Conference of Contracting Govern-

ments to the 1974 SOLAS Convention on the Global

Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS)

adopted amendments to the 1974 SOLAS Conven-

tion concerning radiocommunications for the

GMDSS. These amendments entered into force on 1

February 1992. On 1 February 1999 the GMDSS

became introduced for all SOLAS ships.

The following radio equipment and systems are

provided for the GMDSS (Figure 1):

− Digital Selective Calling (DSC);

− INMARSAT Satellite System;

− SATellite Emergency Position Indicating Radio-

Beacon (SATEPIRB);

− Search And Rescue Transponders (SARTs);

− NAVTEX System;

− Narrow Band Direct Printing (NBDP);

− Radiotelephony (RTF);

− Distress Message Control (DMC);

− navigational equipment (for support).

− Other elements of GMDSS to be showed in Fig-

ure 1 mean as follows:

− INMARSAT Coast Earth Stadion (CES);

− INMARSAT Ship Earth Station (SES);

− COSPAS/SARSAT Local User Terminal (LUT);

− Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC).

CES

SES

SATEPIRB

DSC

VHF

NBDP

RTF

VHF

NAVIGAT.

EQUIPMENT

SARTs

NAVTEX

DMC

INMARSAT

COSPAS/

SARSAT

LUT

RCC

SAR

NBDP

DSC

RTF

NAVTEX

Figure 1. Equipment and systems of GMDSS (Korcz K. 2005)

Communications will be essential to e-Navi-

gation, in particular for collecting and integrating

sources of navigation information and providing the

user with the optimum, relevant data on a multi-

function display. The modes of communication cov-

ered by the concept are following:

− intra-vessel;

− ship-to-ship;

− ship-to-shore and shore-to-ship;

− shore-to-shore.

A systematic and continuing review is needed to

ensure the GMDSS remains responsive. Below some

categories suggested for review have been given.

3.1 Functional requirements

The GMDSS was built upon satisfaction of func-

tional requirements (SOLAS Chapter 4, Reg. 4)

mentioned above. Any review of the GMDSS should

start with an examination of the functional require-

ments. At the beginning of these consideration the

answers to the two following questions should be

given: are deletions of any requirement possible?

and do others need to be added?

Consideration of these questions allows to come

to the conclusion that no functions were candidates

for deletion, but at least two or more may need to be

added – for example interoperability with non-

SOLAS vessels and communications with commer-

cial aircraft. Also, there may be a need for high data

rate systems in some vessels for use during mass

evacuation incidents.

3.2 Carriage requirements and areas of

operation

Four areas were defined where carriage require-

ments differ. It should be considered if this concept

is still relevant, taking into account large variety of

the ship types and the sea routes.

3.3 Advances in technology

Much of the GMDSS equipment is built on technol-

ogies more than 20 years old. Some of them work

well and others do not. Further, many new and less

expensive technologies have emerged including:

− radio systems with embedded position infor-

mation;

− Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite systems with

hand held terminals; some provide excellent

coverage in Polar Regions; the Polar Regions

are growing in importance (new NAV/MET Are-

as have been defined to cover these areas);

− regional satellite systems have been implemented

with attractive features;

− web-based access to non-alert MSI; further da-

ta rates supported by NAVTEX and SafetyNET

may not be sufficient; the relationships between

the historical “push” of information and new

technologies that allow “pulling” it may need at-

tention;

− inexpensive hand-held radios - for example,

small cheap VHF-AM radios could be placed

in some survival craft for communications with

commercial aircraft; and

− cellular phones.

3.4 Related systems and initiatives have been or

will be put in place

At present above includes:

− Automatic Identification Systems (AIS);

− Ship Security Alert Systems (SSAS);

− Long-Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT);

− commercial HF service systems that are not part

of the GMDSS, but they serve thousands of ships.

These include HF e-mail, which is used widely,

but it is not part of the GMDSS;

− e-Navigation programmes.

3.5 In some cases implementation has not

proceeded as planned

Among other things it applies to:

− many HF/MF and VHF commercial stations

have closed, and commercial use of DSC and

NBDP has diminished;

− implementations of areas A1 and A2 have been

slower than anticipated; and

− DSC is still not as widely used as expected.

4 CONCLUSIONS

One of the three main elements of e-Navigation is

Communications. Taking into account the earlier

consideration, doubtlessly the communications me-

dia for e-Navitation should include both terrestrial

and satellite communications.

There is increasing demand for a common com-

munication platform for two-way data communica-

tion between ship and shore. There is also a growing

requirement for Internet access on ships, at sea as

well as in ports.

There are many data communications technolo-

gies that are likely to play a role in e-Navigation. In

addition to fixed communications, the mobile com-

munications technologies that could be used include

but are not necessarily limited to radio (HF, VHF or

UHF - Ultra High Frequency), AIS, WiFI and Wi-

Max, satellite communications including Internet

Protocol (IP) broadband. Communications can be ei-

ther point-to-point or broadcast and could be based

on IP but not necessarily on the Internet itself.

The selection of the particular technologies used

to provide services must be made carefully and

should depend on the specific task to be undertaken.

So, the GMDSS equipment can be an effective

way to increase the reliability of e-Navigation data

communication network but must be improved. This

goal can be achieved as the result of the work on two

items (Korcz K. 2007):

− technical improvement of GMDSS; and

− utilization of technically improved GMDSS

equipment for e-Navigation.

In addition, it is necessary to ensure that man-

machine-interface and the human element will be

taken into account including the training of person-

nel. The lessons learnt from the development and

operation of GMDSS and AIS should be taken into

account in the development of e-Navigation as well.

Taking into account the above mentioned a sys-

tematic process is needed for continuous review of

the GMDSS to ensure it remains modern and fully

responsive to changes in requirements and evolu-

tions of technology and it will meet the e-Navigation

programme requirements.

For assuming this process a mechanism for con-

tinuous evolution of the GMDSS in a systematic

way should be created. Some evolutions are within

the sole purview of the IMO (in particular COM-

SAR Sub-Committee) while others will require co-

operation from others such as the ITU/ICAO, etc.

The COMSAR Sub-Committee is competent to ini-

tially discuss these issues in part under several agen-

da items. These agenda items include:

− GMDSS;

− Developments in maritime radiocommunica-

tions systems and technology;

− Development of an e-Navigation strategy; and

− Development of procedures for updating ship-

borne navigation and communication equipment.

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International Maritime Organization (IMO). 2004. Internation-

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Korcz K. 1995. Przepisy radiokomunikacyjne w morskiej służ-

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Morskiej, Gdynia

Sub-Committee on Radiocommunications, Search and Rescue-

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London

Sub-Committee on Radiocommunications, Search and Rescue-

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London

Sub-Committee on Radiocommunications, Search and Rescue-

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