AMSA has issued Marine Notice on maritime safety in order to advise that all ships transiting NAVAREA X or navigating off the Australian coast should ensure that they can receive all Maritime Safety Information (MSI) necessary for the intended voyage.
MSI, as defined in Regulation IV/2 of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 (SOLAS 74), as amended, includes navigational and meteorological warnings, meteorological forecasts, and other urgent safety-related messages broadcast to ships.
MSI receiving capability is part of the mandatory equipment required to be carried on board ships under the provisions of SOLAS 74, Chapter IV (Radiocommunications), as amended.Australia’s Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC Australia) and Bureau of Meteorology promulgate MSI for NAVAREA X through the Inmarsat-C EGC service. Such MSI is received on board ships as a SafetyNET message.
The Australian coastal area is divided into eight areas, denoted by the letters A to H. The limits of these areas and more information on MSI is provided in the Admiralty List of Radio Signals (ALRS) Volumes 3 and 5, Seafarers Handbook for Australian Waters, the Australian Annual Notices to Mariners, Australian GMDSS Handbook and the IMO SafetyNET Manual
To ensure vessels have received all current MSI, particularly when entering NAVAREA X for the first time, entering a new coastal warning area or prior to departing a port, it is recommended that ships compare the current list of MSI received via e-mail with that received via SafetyNET.
Note
Masters are reminded that they should ensure their Inmarsat-C Enhanced Group Calling (EGC) receivers are configured to receive MSI messages for NAVAREA X and the coastal warning areas appropriate to their intended voyage. In addition, the types of MSI to be received for the coastal warning areas need to be selected (e.g. navigational warnings, weather information). It should be noted that ships may also need to receive MSI whilst in port.
Possible problems in receiving MSI
It is possible that problems can arise with the receipt of MSI. Some manufacturers use the term NAVTEX instead of SafetyNET for Inmarsat-C terminals in their user manuals. This can cause confusion. Australia uses the Inmarsat’s SafetyNET EGC as the primary means of promulgating MSI. Australia does not provide a NAVTEX service.
Source : AMSA