THE GMDSS

The biggest change to radio communications at sea since the introduction of radio at the beginning of the century formally started on the first of February, 1992, when the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System entered into force. The GMDSS was adop­ted in 1988 by a conference of Contracting Governments to the Inter­national Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea SOLAS)1974. The Convention has been ratified by 116 countries and applies to 97%of the world’s fleet of merchant ships.

The GMDSS is a ship - to – shore, shore - to - ship system. The equipment required on board ships depends not on their tonnage, but on the sea areas in which they operate. For the purpose of the system the oceans have been divided into four sea areas. Sea Area A1 is within the range of VHF coastal radio station (about 24 - 30) miles; Sea Area A2 is within the range of coastal radio station (about 100 miles); Sea Area A3 is within range of services provided by IMAR8AT (approximately the area of the world whichis between 70° North and 70° South); and Sea Area A4 is the area of the world not covered by INMARSAT.

The equipment which willbe required by the GMDSS varies according to the sea area in which the ship operates, but it includes the fol­lowing: Digital Selective Galling (DSC), Radiotelephony; Narrow Band Direct Printing, Navtex; Satellite emergency position -indicating radio beacons (EPIRBs); Satellite communication equip­ment; Search and Rescue Radar Transponders (SARTs); Alerts.

The introduction of the GMDSS has provided on ships: - automated watch keeping, including the receipt of maritime safety information:

- a distress and safety communication system tailored to the area in which the ship trades and capable of being operated effectively in an emergency by any crew member;

- the basis on which all the communication needs of a ship, both internal and external can in the future be designed as a fully in­tegrated and automated system.

On shore: it has provided specialized shore authorities with significantly improved means of exercising their responsibilities for search and rescue operations more effectively and quickly.

II. NOTES:

Global Maritime Distress and - Глобальная морская система

Safety System, (GMDSS) - связи при бедствии и для обеспечения
безопасности (ГМССБ)

Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) - Безопасность ЖИЗНИ на море

Digital Selective Calling (dsc) - Цифровой избирательный вызов (ЦИВ)

Narrow Band Direct Printing (Navtex) - приемник службы Навтекс

Satellite Emergency Position

Indicating Radio Beacon, (EPIRB) - Аварийный радиобуй (АРБ)

Search and Rescue Transponder (SART) – радиолокационный ответчик (РЛО)

Alert - тревога, сигнал тревоги

III. ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

1. When did the biggest change to radio communications start?

2. How do we decipher abbreviation GMDSS?

3. How has this system been divided?

4. What equipment is compulsory for every ship?

5. What has the introduction of the GMDSS provided?

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