Draft ECDIS amendments finalised

The 10th session of the IMO’s Sub-Committee on Navigation, Communications, Search and Rescue (NCSR 10) was held from 10 to 19 May. 

ECDIS performance standards

NCSR 10 agreed to draft amendments to Resolution MSC.530 (106) on Performance Standards for Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS) to facilitate a standardised digital ship-to-shore and shore-to-ship exchange of a ship’s route plans.

The ship-to-ship exchange of route plans was considered inappropriate since it may lead to over-reliance on other vessels’ intentions. The IMO will keep the use of route exchange under review and aim to develop operational guidance. Routes exchanged between ship-to-shore and shore-to-ship shall be considered as a basic indication of intent only and the master’s discretion must always be respected, in accordance with SOLAS Regulations V/34 and V/34-1. Route plans received should be indicated by ECDIS as for voyage planning purposes only.

The draft amendments will be submitted to MSC 108 in May 2024 for approval. 

Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS)

NCSR 10 also approved guidelines on the communication of emergency and safety information on board ships to reflect the new radio installation requirements in SOLAS Chapter IV that enters into force on 1 January 2024.

Amendments to SOLAS, its Protocol of 1988 and related IMO instruments to modernise the requirements to the GMDSS were adopted by MSC 105 (April 2022) and will enter into force on 1 January 2024.

NCSR 10 approved a revision of COMSAR/Circ.32/Rev.1 on the Harmonisation of GMDSS Requirements for Radio Installations on Board SOLAS Ships. COMSAR/Circ.32/Rev.2 provides interpretations of the radio installations requirements in SOLAS Chapter V and related IMO instruments following the amended GMDSS requirements.

COMSAR/Circ.32/Rev.2 will be submitted to MSC 107 (June 2023) for endorsement and is expected to take effect on 1 January 2024.

Delay to new GMDSS equipment requirements

NCSR 10 considered the availability of new shipborne VHF radio installations, MF and MF/FH radio installations and Inmarsat-C ship earth stations, meeting the performance standards adopted in connection with the modernization of the GMDSS requirements. 

NCSR 10 agreed that installation of equipment meeting the current performance standards should be permitted until 1 January 2028, rather than the previous 1 January 2024 threshold. 

A draft MSC Circular on delays affecting the availability of new GMDSS equipment will be submitted to MSC 107 (June 2023) for approval.

Digital navigational data system (NAVDAT)

NCSR 10 considered the development of performance standards for the digital navigational data system (NAVDAT). NAVDAT is intended for broadcasting digital files from shore to ships, for example for providing the Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) with updated information for safe navigation.  

The IMO/ITU Experts Group on Maritime Radiocommunication Matters will be invited to review the draft performance standards and advise NCSR 11 in June 2024.

VHF Data Exchange System (VDES)

VDES is a digital communication system that operates over the very high frequency (VHF) band to provide secure and reliable data exchange, for example between ships and between ships and shore. VDES includes the Automatic Identification System (AIS) for the identification and tracking of vessels and offers additional communication capabilities.

NCSR 10 considered the development of amendments to SOLAS Chapters IV and V and performance standards and guidelines to introduce VDES into the mandatory regulatory framework.

It was agreed that a technical, regulatory and operational analysis of VDES should be undertaken, covering its communication component which includes AIS, VDES-ASM, VDES-VDE-terrestrial and VDES-VDE-satellite elements. The work will continue in a Correspondence Group until NCSR 11 in June 2024.