COMPETENCE : Respond to a distress

signal at sea
KUP: Knowledge of the contents of the
International Aeronautical and Maritime
Search and Rescue (IAMSAR) Manual
Methods for demonstrating competence:
Examination and assessment of evidence
obtained from practical instruction or
approved simulator training, where
appropriate
Criteria for evaluating competence: The
type and scale of the emergency is
promptly identified
 SYSTEM COMPONENTS OF IAMSAR

CO1 Respond to a distress signal at sea

TOPIC: System Component of IAMSAR
2. The SAR systems three general
levels of co-ordination
LO2 Explain System component of the
IAMSAR
TEACHER ACTIVITY CADET ACTIVITY
State the three
general level of co-
ordination of IAMSAR
SAR CO-ORDINATION
The SAR system has three general levels of
co-ordination:
1. On-scene co-ordinators (OSCs).
2. SAR mission co-ordinators (SMCs)
3. SAR co-ordinators (SCs)
1 On-scene co-ordinator
When two or more SAR facilities are
working together on the same mission, one
person on scene may be needed to co-
ordinate the activities of all participating
facilities.
the SMC designates an OSC, who may be
the person in charge of a:
– search and rescue unit (SRU), ship, or
aircraft participating in
a search, or
– nearby facility in a position to handle
OSC duties
the person in charge of the first facility to
arrive at the scene will normally assume
the OSC function until the SMC arranges
for that person to be relieved.
2 SAR mission co-ordinator
• Each SAR operation is carried out under
the guidance of an SMC. This function
exists only for the duration of a specific
SAR incident and is normally performed by
the RCC chief or a designee. The SMC may
have assisting staff.
• The SMC guides a SAR operation until a
rescue has been effected or it becomes
apparent that further efforts would be of no
avail.
• SMC duties include:
1. obtain and evaluate all data on the
emergency
2. ascertain the type of emergency
equipment carried by the missing or
distressed craft
3. remain informed of prevailing
environmental conditions
4. if necessary, ascertain movements and
locations of vessels and alert shipping in
likely search areas for rescue, lookout
and/or radio watch
5. plot the areas to search and decide on
methods and facilities to be
used
6. develop the search action plan and
rescue action plan as appropriate
7. co-ordinate the operation with adjacent
RCCs when appropriate
8. arrange briefing and debriefing of SAR
personnel
9. evaluate all reports and modify search
action plan as necessary
10. arrange for refuelling of aircraft and,
for prolonged search, make
arrangements for the accommodation of
SAR personnel
11. arrange for delivery of supplies to
sustain survivors
12. maintain in chronological order an
accurate and up-to-date record
13. issue progress reports
14. determine when to suspend or
terminate the search
15. release SAR facilities when assistance
is no longer required
 16. notify accident investigation
authorities
17. if applicable, notify the State of
registry of the aircraft
18. prepare a final report.
3 SAR co-ordinator
• SCs are the top level SAR managers;
each State normally will have one or more
persons or agencies for whom this
designation may be appropriate.
• SCs have the overall responsibility for:
1. establishing, staffing, equipping and
managing the SAR system
2. establishing RCCs and (RSCs)
3. providing or arranging for SAR facilities
4. co-ordinating SAR training
5. developing SAR policies.
TOPIC: System Component of IAMSAR
3. The purpose and principle of
Ship reporting systems
LO2 Explain System component of the
IAMSAR
TEACHER ACTIVITY CADET ACTIVITY
Explain the purpose
and principles of ship
reporting of IAMSAR
Resolution A.851(20) adopted on 27
November 1997
“Ship reporting systems and reporting
requirements are used to provide, gather
or exchange information through radio
reports. The information is used to provide
data for many purposes including search
and rescue, vessel traffic services,
weather forecasting and prevention of
marine pollution.”
Ship Reporting Systems
Vessels at sea, although not always
available to participate in extended search
operations, are potential aeronautical and
maritime SAR assets.
Masters of vessels have a duty to assist
others whenever it can be done without
endangering the assisting vessel or crew.
Various States have implemented ship
reporting systems.
Ships at sea may be the only craft near
the scene of a distressed aircraft or
vessel.
A ship reporting system enables the SMC
to quickly:
1. identify vessels in the vicinity of a
distress situation, along with their
positions, courses, and speeds
2. be aware of other information about
the vessels which may be valuable
(whether a doctor is aboard, etc.)
3. know how to contact the vessels
4. improve the likelihood of rapid aid
during emergencies
5. reduce the number of calls for
assistance to vessels unfavourably
located to respond
6. reduce the response time to provide
assistance.
Ship reporting systems and reporting
requirements should, as far as
practicable, comply with the following
principles:
.1 reports should contain only information
essential to achieve the objectives of the
system;
.2 reports should be simple and use the
standard international ship reporting
format and procedures;
.3 the number of reports should be kept to
a minimum;
.4 no charge should be made for
communication of reports;
.5 safety or pollution-related reports
should be made without delay;
.6 information obtained from the system
should be made available to other
systems when required for distress,
safety and pollution purposes;
.7 basic information (ship's particulars, on-
board facilities and equipment, etc.)
should be reported once, be retained in
the system and be updated by the ship
when changes occur in the basic
information reported;
.8 the purpose of the system should be
clearly defined;
.9 Governments establishing a ship
reporting system should notify mariners
of full details of the requirements to be
met and procedures to be followed.
.10 Details of types of ships and areas of
applicability, of times and geographical
positions for submitting reports, of
shore establishments responsible for
operation of the system and of the
services provided should be clearly
specified.
.11 Chartlets depicting boundaries of the
system and providing other necessary
information should be made available to
mariners
EXAMPLES OF REPORTING
AMVER
The genesis of the Amver system
ultimately finds its roots in the RMS
TITANIC disaster in 1912. Ships passing
within sight of the ill-fated passenger
liner were unaware that it had hit an
iceberg and was sinking. Upon later
investigation, those who had seen the
distress flares from the stricken ship
admitted they thought they were merely
part of the maiden voyage celebrations!
 However, the resultant idea of a ship
reporting system that could identify other
ships in the area of a ship in distress,
which could then be sent to its
assistance, would not become a reality
until the advent of computer technology.
As late as the mid-twentieth century the
world's commercial shipping fleet and
burgeoning air transport system lacked
an available full-time, global emergency
reporting system.
 On April 15, 1958 the United States
Coast Guard and commercial shipping
representatives began discussions which
led to the creation of Amver. Originally
known as the Atlantic Merchant Vessel
Emergency Reporting (AMVER) System,
 Amver is one of many ship reporting
systems. It is a world-wide system
operated exclusively to support SAR and
make information available to all RCCs.
There is no charge for vessels to
participate in, nor for RCCs to use, Amver.
Many land-based providers of
communications services world-wide
relay ship reports to Amver free of
charge.
 Any merchant vessel of 1000 gross
tons or more on any voyage of greater
than 24 hours is welcome to participate.
Information voluntarily provided by
vessels to Amver is protected by the US
Coast Guard as commercial proprietary
data and made available only to SAR
authorities or others specifically
authorized by the ship involved.
AUSREP / MASTREP (www.amsa.gov.au)
The AUSREP system was introduced
after the tragic sinking of the small
coastal freighter "Blythe Star" which
disappeared off Southern Tasmania in
October 1973 without having transmitted
a distress signal. The Blythe Star had
capsized and sunk soon after leaving
Hobart however the alarm was not raised
until the ship became overdue at her
destination, King Island.
 Conformity by ships' Masters with the
AUSREP system became mandatory in
1982. The system requires the master to
send a sailing plan (SP) to the Rescue
Coordination Centre (RCC) on leaving an
Australian port or entering the AUSREP
zone and to nominate a time at which a
position will be transmitted each day
during the voyage. Any significant
departure from the sailing plan must be
advised.
 The Australian Maritime Safety
Authority (AMSA) issued a notice
reminding masters that, effective 1 July,
the Australian Ship Reporting System
(AUSREP) is being replaced by the
Modernized Australian Ship Tracking and
Reporting System (MASTREP).
 The updated system applies to
regulated Australian vessels and to
foreign vessels from arrival at the first
port in Australia until departure from the
final port in Australia. Covered vessels
are required to properly operate their AIS
transmitters and to transmit the
information required by the SOLAS
Convention. Other vessels are
encouraged to participate.
Obligation on MASTREP
Position Reports are to be transmitted
by AIS. The master of a ship, to which
Regulation 19.2.4 of Chapter V of SOLAS
applies, must ensure the ship is fitted with
a system to automatically transmit the
following information:
i. identity; ii. type;
iii. position; iv. course;
v. speed; vi. navigational status;
vii. safety related information.
JASREP
The AUSREP system was introduced after
the tragic sinking of the small coastal
freighter "Blythe Star" which disappeared
off Southern Tasmania in October 1973
without having transmitted a distress
signal. The Blythe Star had capsized and
sunk soon after leaving Hobart however
the alarm was not raised until the ship
became overdue at her destination, King
Island.
ECAREG
“ECAREG” means the Eastern Canada
Vessel Traffic Services Zone as described
in section 4 of the Eastern Canada Vessel
Traffic Services Zone Regulations;
(ECAREG)