IMO Documents

Communications - Procedures

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IMO Resolutions

	MSC.131(75) - Maintenance of a Continuous Listening Watch on VHF Channel by SOLAS Ships Whilst at Sea and Installation of VHF DSC Facilities on Non-SOLAS Ships
	MSC.199(80) - Adoption of Amendments to Provision of Radio Services for the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) Amends Resolution A.801(19).
	MSC.436(99): Amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, as amended Includes amendments to chapter IV on Radiocommunications, which incorporate the changes made to accommodate recognized mobile satellite services under GMDSS. Note that this is far from being the only Resolution amending SOLAS.
	A.887(21) - Establishment, Updating and Retrieval of the Information Contained in the Registration Databases for the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS)
	A954(23) - Proper Use of VHF Channels at Sea
	A.1001(25) - Criteria for the Provision of Mobile Satellite Communication Systems in the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS)

IMO Circulars

	COMSAR-Circ.25 - Procedure for Responding to DSC Distress Alerts by Ships
	COMSAR/Circ.29 - Guidance for the Voluntary use of the Standardized Questionnaires and Formats for Reporting False Alerts in Collecting Data on False Alerts
	COMSAR/Circ.35 - Recommendations on Medium Frequency/high Frequency (MF/HF) Digital Selective Calling (DSC) Test Calls to Coast Stations
	COMSAR.1/Circ.45 - Guidance on Distress Alerts
	COMSAR.1/Circ.50/Rev.4 - Distress Priority Communications for RCCs from Shore-to-Ship Via Inmarsat
	COMSAR.1/Circ.56 - Guidance on Smartphone and Other Computer Device SAR Applications
	MSC/Circ.892 - Alerting of SAR Authorities
	MSC/Circ.959 - Interim Procedures for MRCCs on Receipt of Distress Alerts
	MSC/Circ.1078 - Guidelines to Administrations on Reporting False Alerts
	MSC.1/Circ.1248 - Minimizing Delays in SAR Response to Distress Alerts
	MSC.1/Circ.1365 - Commercially Available Locating, Tracking and Emergency Notification Devices

Development of Inflatable Rescue Craft
#FutureSAR, Fredrik Falkman, Swedish Sea Rescue Society (SSRS)

Fredrik Falkman from Sweden's SSRS suggests that SAR organisations need to have a smarter approach to operating in rising sea levels, with a critical assigning of resources for each operation.
Blog: Captain Hilmar Snorrason, Principle at the Maritime Safety and Survival Training Centre, ICE-SAR

We speak with Captain Hilmar Snorrason, Principal at the Maritime Safety and Survival Training Centre at ICE-SAR, about his 30-year career in maritime safety.
Future SAR Videos

SAR Matters: Defining Distress Continued ...

People known to be in distress need to be rescued, of course – and the SAR community knows that this concept must also be extended to those believed to be in distress, and to those who, while not yet in distress, will become so if help is not provided to them in the meantime.
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Basic Rescue Boat Operator Manual & Search Cards

This manual, together with the accompanying Rescue Boat Operator Search Cards, provides recommended best practice for any organisation looking at introducing basic training in Rescue Boat SAR operations.
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The IMRF brings together and represents the world’s maritime search and rescue organisations, including voluntary and governmental organisations, as well as suppliers to the sector, to improve maritime SAR capabilities worldwide.
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