FOREWORD
by Mr. W.A. O'Neil, Secretary General IMO
When the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System entered into force
in 1992 under the SOLAS Convention, it heralded a new era in the
provision of safety at sea. Founded on the premise that a distress call
from a ship at sea should always be heard no matter what the
circumstances and, moreover, heard by someone with the capability to
act decisively, it made sure that the very latest in mobile communications
technology was at the service of the seafarer.
As well as providing a framework for the effective co-ordination
of search and rescue operations, it also established a system for the
promulgation of safety-related information to ships anywhere in
the oceans.
Recognising the inherent risk in having just a single specialist on
board with the necessary skills to communicate with other ships and
people ashore, the GMDSS introduced the concept that all deck officers
should be able to use communications equipment. This guide is written
specifically for those non-specialist deck officers who now have to manage
and use modern satellite and radio communications equipment.
An unwelcome consequence of the introduction of the GMDSS
has been a marked increase in the number of false alerts. These false
alerts come from two principal causes: operator error and accidental
actuation of EPIRBS - Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons.
The configuration of the GMDSS means false alerts can
Significantly degrade the system. So it is imperative that the level of
awareness and the quality of the training given to those obtaining a
GMDSS certificate is kept as high as possible.
This Nautical Institute publication by Mr. lan Waugh is most timely
in this respect. A Mariner's Guide to Maritime Communications provides
a handy reference on board which will improve communications
discipline and help to prevent operator errors and reduce false alerts.
The new era of digital communications now extends to ships at
sea, with the result that ships are now much more 'in touch' with people
ashore and with each other than ever before. This ease of communication
has inevitably led to a considerable increase in the volume of radio traffic.
It is appropriate, therefore, that a theme running through this guide
is the need to manage maritime communications effectively. QUite apart
from the cost of satellite transmission time, good preparatory work and
a clear understanding of the most efficient way of passing messages is
now part of the deck department's responsibilities. This practical guide
provides a valuable source of reference and will be particularly useful to
those who use maritime communications both ashore and afloat.
MARINE COMMUNICATIONS iii