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Introduction

Distress-, Urgency- and Safety communication

Search & Rescue communication

Routine communication

Ship Reporting System (MAREP/POSREP)

POSREP-practice

Role plays: Distress-, Urgency- and Safety messages

Role plays: routine communication

 VHF / DSC - COMMUNICATION
Non-GMDSS vessels
(e.g. small vessels) GMDSS vessels

Announcement &
Announcement & acknowledgement by
acknowledgement Digital Selective
on VHF Calling (DSC)

Message by conversation on VHF

. DISTRESS ALERT:
“Urgent!
There is serious
and immediate danger”.
. URGENCY MESSAGE:
“Urgent! Ship’s radio-room.

There is serious danger!”

. SAFETY MESSAGE:
“Imminent risk for navigation”.
. ROUTINE MESSAGE:
“… to ensure safe navigation”.
RCC
 s

“MAYDAY - 3 X
This is Vincente - PWCA
Vincente - PWCA
Vincente - PWCA:”
“PAN PAN - 3 X
All stations - 3 X
This is Alcona - BUCE
Alcona - BUCE
s

Alcona - BUCE:”.
“SECURITE - 3 X s

All stations - 3 X
This is Anticosti - V8SH
Anticosti - V8SH
Anticosti - V8SH:”.
INMARSAT COSPAS-SARSAT
 DSC-announcement (GMDSS - vessels).
A Distress Alert, Urgency Message or Safety Message
is announced to Rescue Coordination Centre and all vessels
in the vicinity through “Digital Selective Calling” .

When the DSC-acknowledgement

has been received from R.C.C.,
a distress-, urgency- or safety
message is transmitted by VHF to
R.C.C. all stations.
If the master of a vessel that has received an acknowledgement
decides that he is able to assist, he must transmit
a RECEIVED MAYDAY to the vessel in distress.

Pearl Head - VRSE

Ocean Queen - IRSL

“MAYDAY
Pearl Head (3X) - VRSE
This is Ocean Queen (3X) - IRSL
RECEIVED MAYDAY”.
R.C.C.
Pearl Head - VRSE Ocean Queen - IRSL

Any vessel that is “able to assist ”

(within “short range” of the distressed vessel)
must transmit a “supplementary received-mayday”
to the vessel in distress.
Any ship, knowing that a vessel in distress is not able
to transmit a distress alert, must transmit a
distress alert relay.

x
Pearl Head - VRSE

x Ocean Queen -IRSL

R.C.C. Aveiro Radio

After announcement by DSC or VHF,
communication by conversation begins on VHF.

Distress/Urgency/Safety
Distress -, urgency - and safety -messages
on VHF must contain:

. The vessel’s identification;

9-digit Maritime Mobile Service Identity-Code
(MMSI-Code);
or Name and Call Sign;
. position of the vessel;
. the nature of distress or danger;
. number of persons on board;
. the assistance that is required;
. any other important information. s
(CLICK)

(CLICK)
“MAYDAY: This is two three five - seven eight six - zero zero zero
Pearl Head - Victor Romeo Sierra Echo.
My position: three eight degrees one zero minutes North / zero one eight degrees
one zero minutes East.
I am on fire: fire is in engine room and number-two hold. Vessel is sinking.
Crew must abandon vessel. I require assistance.
Number of crew on board: one eight; number of injured persons: eight;
number of casualties: two.
Over”.
 “PAN PAN, PAN PAN, PAN PAN;
All stations, all stations, all stations;
this is 211 868 000 MV Christina;
my posn. 56 degr. 29 min. N / 000 degr. 53 min. E.
I am manoeuvring with difficulty;
I have problems with main engine;
I require tug assistance;
advice: all ships keep clear
OVER”.

s
 “Securite, securite, securite; all stations, all stations, all stations;
this is 426 477 000 - tanker Vermont - CAPK
in posn. bearing 259 degr. from Falls Light, distance 1.5 miles;
time: August 6 - 1645 UTC.
Information: Buoy FL-1 in position 259 degrees from Falls Light,
distance 2 miles, missing. OUT”

s
Radio silence is imposed
to all vessels when a
SAR-operation is in progress.

s
A Situation Report (short form- or full form SITREP)
is transmitted to all vessels by RCC to indicate that
a SAR-operation must be carried out.
- Priority; DISTRESS

- Date and Time; September twelve

time: 13.40 UTC;

- From RCC: San Juan Rescue Co-ordination Centre;

- To: All ships in vicinity of position

37 degr. 15 min. N / 016 degr. 10 min. E;

- SAR SITREP number Search and Rescue Situation Report number one;

- Identity of casualty 211 687 000 Pearl Head-VRSE

(Name, call sign, Flagstate) Bulgarian registration

- Position (Latitude / longitude) In position

37 degr. 15 min. N / 016 degr. 10 min. E;

- Situation: Message: Distress;

Date and time; September twelve
13.43 UTC
Nature of Distress; Pearl Head on fire;

- Number of Persons at risk; 16

- Assistance that is required; Fire fighting assistance and SAR.

 M.V. Pearl Head in
distress.

A Situation Report (SITREP)

M.V. Vendor acting as is transmitted by the OSC
On-Scene Co-ordinator
to inform the SAR-Mission
Co-ordinator (SMC) at RCC .
A SITREP is transmitted by
assisting vessels and helicopters
to inform the OSC.
The termination of radio-silence
is indicated with “Silence Fini”.

s
Announcement (by non-GMDSS vessels).
Intership communication
and communication between
ship and coastal station
is announced on VHF.

M.V. Anticosti - V8SH

VTS Halifax Radio

If conditions for establishing contact
are unknown or expected to be bad,
addressing and identification must
be done three times.

When conditions are good,

the best way is to address once s

and identify twice.

s
Answer to the question:
“How do you read me?”.
I read you bad / signal strength 1
( = barely perceptible);
I read you poor / signal strength 2
( = weak);
I read you fair / signal strength 3
( = fairly good)
I read you good / signal strength 4
( = good);
I read you excellent / signal strength 5
( = very good).
 In case of an urgent message
(note: not an URGENCY message!)
“how do you read me”
is left out.

Example:

s
 DSC-announcement (GMDSS - vessels).
Intership communication
and communication between
ship and coastal station
is announced through
Digital Selective Calling.

When the DSC-acknowledgement

has been received, communication
by VHF will begin.

VTS
REMEMBER:

Always
ADDRESS AND IDENTIFY
after you have heard the word
“OVER”.
Always answer
“You must …..”
with
“I will…..”
 example

“Mistake ….. correction”

is used when incorrect information
has been given.
“Repeat” (or “I say again”)
is used when an important message
or part of a messages is repeated.

example
“Say again” is used when a message
or part of a message has not been
clearly understood.

example
 S

In VHF-communication the
IMO Standard Marine Communication Phrases
must always be used to keep the conversation short.

SMCP
click here
 Coastal stations often ask for a
MARITIME and POSITION REPORT
of your ship. For this MAREP / POSREP
the Standard Marine Alphabet is used.

S
ALFA - VESSEL’S NAME + CALL SIGN; OSCAR - DRAFT;
BRAVO - DAY OF MONTH AND TIME PAPA - CARGO
(UTC/Z / ZONE / LOCAL TIME); (TYPE AND QUANTITY);
CHARLIE - POSITION QUEBEC - ANY DEFECTS OR
(LONGITUDE / LATITUDE); LIMITATION;
DELTA - POSITION (AS BEARING AND ROMEO - ANY POLLUTANTS OR
DISTANCE FROM FIXED POINT.); DANGEROUS GOODS;
ECHO - TRUE COURSE; SIERRA - WEATHER CONDITIONS;
FOXTROT - SPEED (IN KNOTS); TANGO - SHIP’S REPRESENTATIVE
GOLF - LAST PORT OF DEPARTURE; OR OWNER;
HOTEL - TIME AND POINT OF ENTRY UNIFORM - SIZE AND TYPE OF
INTO THE SYSTEM; VESSEL;
INDIA - DESTINATION (+ ETA); VICTOR - MEDICAL PERSONEL;
JULIET - DEEP SEA OR LOCAL PILOT WHISKEY - NUMBER OF PERSONS ON
ON BOARD; BOARD;
KILO - TIME OF EXIT FROM THE X-RAY - ANY OTHER USEFUL
SYSTEM; INFORMATION.
LIMA - INTENDED TRACK; YANKEE - REQUEST TO RELAY
MIKE - VHF-CHANNELS GUARDED; REPORT TO OTHER
NOVEMBER - TIME OF NEXT REPORT; SYSTEM (E.G. AMVER);
S
ZULU - END OF REPORT.
 A “Charlie-position” is given
in “Latitude and Longitude”.

Position:
“39 degr. 16 min. N /
027 degr. 15 min.W”.
A “Delta-position” is a bearing and
distance-indication from a fixed point.
It is preceded by the word “bearing”.

Position:
“Bearing 158 degr. from the Bassurelle,
distance 1.5 miles”.
29 DEGR. 58 MIN. N / 013 DEGR. 12 MIN. E ON MARCH 31 2100 UTC.

134 DEGR. FROM BUOY NHR-SE, DISTANCE 6.5 MILES

ON JANUARY 13 10.25 LOCAL TIME.

159 DEGR. FROM FALLS LIGHT, DISTANCE 2.7 MILES

ON MAY 26 1925 ZONE TIME.

58 DEGR. 57 MIN. N / 013 DEGR. 5 MIN. W

ON JANUARY 31 05.25 UTC.

178 DEGR. FROM ROYAL SOVEREIGN LIGHTHOUSE,

DISTANCE 2.1 MILES ON AUGUST 5 12.00 UTC.

250 DEGR. FROM BUOY CA 4, DISTANCE 12.6 MILES

ON DECEMBER 31 0000 UTC.
211 687 000 Pearl Head - VRSE is on fire.

R.C.C.
 “Received Mayday” on VHF after
announcement and acknowledgement.
Pearl Head-VRSE

Ocean Queen-IRSL

R.C.C.
“Supplementary Received-Mayday” on VHF
(after “Received-Mayday” messages).

Pearl Head - VRSE Ocean Queen - IRSL

Ocean Queen informs Pearl Head:

position 045 degrees from distressed vessel, distance 3 miles –
her course: 035 degrees at 12 knots.
ETA distress position within 15 minutes.
 235 786 000 - Pearl Head VRSE
in position
38 degrees 10 min. N / 018 degrees 10 min. E;
transmits a distress message on VHF.
Her engine room and no. 2 hold are on fire.
The vessel is sinking.
Crew are abandoning ship.
Assistance is required.
There are 18 crew members on board.
s
Eight of them have been injured -
two members were killed.
 M.V. Christina (MMSI-Code 211 868 000)
reports that her manoevrability is reduced due to
malfunction of main engine;
she requests for assistance and asks all ships in her
vicinity to stay at safe distance.
Her posn.: 56 degr. 29 min. N / 000 degr. 53 min. E.

s
 MMSI code 426 477 000 - Tanker Vermont CAPK
in posn. 259 degr. from Falls Light, distance 1.5 miles,
time: August 6 - 1645 UTC,
has detected that buoy FL-1 in position 259 degrees from
Falls Light, distance 2 miles, is missing.

s
• Address & Identify. • Address & Identify.

SOUND
SOUND

PORTISHEAD RADIO M.V. STELLA MARIS - UB6379

Stella Maris is not Stella Maris confirms
following traffic and closes.
regulations;
she is not in the correct
traffic lane .
Stella Maris must
alter course to 064 degr.

SOUND SOUND

PORTISHEAD RADIO M.V. STELLA MARIS - UB6379

 Address & Identify

Diamond Star
VYNG

Maas Approach
Maas Approach wants to know
- Diamond Star’s present position, course
and
speed;
- her ETA in position of no. 1 Euro
Buoy;
- her draft fore and aft; Diamond Star VYNG
- her freeboard and airdraft.

Her position is bearing 045 degrees from

no. 1 Euro Buoy at a distance of 12
miles,
course 052 degrees true at 7 knots;
ETA no. 1 Euro Buoy is 1145 hrs. UTC;
Maas Approach
draft fore: 5m - draft aft: 6 m.
freeboard of 5.5 metres;
airdraft of 18.5 metres.
Maas Approach now indicates that
Diamond Star may enter traffic lane at
1245 hrs. UTC;
Maas Approach warns for a heavy swell in
the fairway;
Diamond Star must maintain present course
and reduce her speed to 4 knots. Diamond Star VYNG
Vessel astern is going to
overtake her to the West.
Diamond Star
confirms.

Maas Approach
Maas Approach reports that
Diamond Star’s berth is ready and that
she will berth at 1300 hrs. UTC.
Request to remain stand by
on channel 13.
Diamond Star VYNG

Diamond Star
confirms.

Maas Approach
Non-GMDSS vessels GMDSS vessels
(e.g. small vessels)

Announcement & Announcement &

acknowledgement acknowledgement
on VHF channel 13 or 16 by DSC.

Message by conversation on VHF-working channel

 Announcement on channel 13 or 16:

“All vessels (3X)

Calling unknown vessel in position ……………………….. -
This is ……………… (name of the vessel 3X + callsign) -
HOW DO YOU READ ME? - OVER”
or in case of an urgent message
“(MESSAGE) ……………………… ”

Acknowledgement (ch. 13 or 16) –

message on working channel.

s
 Announcement on DSC

With the Automatic Identification System (AIS)

the MMSI-code of an unknown vessel can be read
from the radar display.

Message on working channel.

s
 Address & Identify on VHF:

Unknown vessel
(Great Yarmouth Princess - GBCH)
in posn. 052 degr. from Bondpier -
0.5 miles - acknowledges.

Message on ch.6.

Seaborne - IRSL
Seaborne is going to
overtake Great Yarmouth Princess
on her port side -
course: 250 degr.;
speed: 8 knots.

Great Yarmouth Princess

confirms and closes.

Seaborne - IRSL
Amsteldijk is at anchor
2.5 miles W of Bondpier;
Amsteldijk asks
unknown ship about
her intentions.
Unknown vessel
2 miles N of the breakwater
(Ice Flower OVRR)

………….answers
that she will stand on.
Amsteldijk - PHSA
Amsteldijk indicates
that Ice Flower is on
a collision course.
She must alter course
to port-side. Ice Flower - OVRR

……………. confirms
and closes.

Amsteldijk - PHSA
Amsteldijk requests pilotage.
 Address & Identify Dover Pilot
Station

Amsteldijk
PHSA
Amsteldijk requests pilot service.
Her position is Dover Pilot
225 degr. from Bassurelle, Station
distance 3 miles.

answers that pilotage has

been suspended and will
be resumed at 1200 UTC.
Pilot boat will reach
Amsteldijk her at 1345 UTC.
PHSA She must anchor in her
present position.
 Dover Pilot
Station
Amsteldijk confirms
and closes.

Amsteldijk
PHSA
 Pilot-tender

Address & Identify

Amsteldijk
PHSA
 Pilot-tender
Amsteldijk
confirms
and closes.

Pilot reports that he is

underway (ETA-Amsteldijk:
1400 UTC). Amsteldijk must heave
anchor and proceed on course 064 Amsteldijk
degr. true at 6 kn.; PHSA
make lee on starboard and
rig pilot ladder .
 mu

C P.C. van Kluijven

SHIPPING AND TRANSPORT COLLEGE ROTTERDAM