This marine notice informs shipowners, operators, masters and bridge watchkeepers of the availability of maritime safety information when navigating through NAVAREA X and METAREA X.
This marine notice supersedes Marine Notice 13/2016.
Background
Maritime safety information (MSI), as defined in regulation IV/2 of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, as amended, means navigational and meteorological warnings, meteorological forecasts and other urgent safety-related messages broadcast to ships.
Every ship, while at sea, shall be capable of receiving MSI (regulation IV/4) and search and rescue related information through the entire voyage in which the ship is engaged (regulation IV/7).
All ships transiting METAREA X and NAVAREA X, or navigating the Australian coast, should ensure they can receive all MSI necessary for the intended voyage.
Masters should ensure receivers capable of receiving MSI are configured appropriately for their intended voyage, including whilst in port. This may be confirmed by an Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) Port State Control Officer during a Port State Inspection
Receiving MSI
AMSA as Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) Australia and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) broadcast MSI through the International Enhanced Group Call service, using the International SafetyNET service (Inmarsat) and the International SafetyCast service (Iridium).
These services are supplemented by HF radiotelephone broadcasts (callsign: VIC).
Navigational warnings are made to NAVAREA X and coastal warning areas A to H.
Meteorological warning and forecasts are made to METAREA X, the high seas (North Eastern, South Eastern, Western, Northern and Southern) and coastal waters (Bass Strait, Torres Strait, Northern Territory, Western Australia and Northern Australia).
Further detail, the limits of these areas and broadcast times are provided on the:
- AMSA website Warnings current
Australia does not provide a NAVTEX service.
International SafetyNET service
MSI broadcast for NAVAREA X and METAREA X, the high seas and coastal waters are available through the Pacific Ocean Region (POR) and Indian Ocean Region (IOR) satellites. MSI broadcast for coastal warning areas is only available through the POR satellite.
International SafetyCast service
MSI broadcast for NAVAREA X, METAREA X, the high seas and coastal warning areas is available via the Iridium SafetyCast service.