Clasification Society Rulefinder 2018 - Version 9.30
Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - Circulars - Maritime Safety Committee - MSC.1/Circular.1403 – Revised NAVTEX Manual – (23 May 2011) - Annex - 11 Message Priorities and Broadcast Procedures in the International NAVTEX Service - 11.2 Broadcast procedures

11.2 Broadcast procedures

  .1 VITAL priority messages.

Messages assessed as VITAL, are to be broadcast immediately, subject to avoiding interference to ongoing transmissions. On receipt of a message with a VITAL priority, the NAVTEX Co-ordinator will commence monitoring the NAVTEX frequency. If the frequency is clear, the VITAL message is to be transmitted immediately. If the frequency is in use, the Co-ordinator shall contact the station which, according to the schedule, will be transmitting during the following time slot and ask it to postpone their transmission start by one minute, to allow a space for the VITAL message. Once the VITAL message has been transmitted, the scheduled station is free to start its routine transmissions;

  .2 IMPORTANT priority messages.

Messages assessed as IMPORTANT, are to be broadcast during the next available period when the NAVTEX frequency is unused. This is to be identified by monitoring the frequency. It is expected that this level of priority will be sufficient for the majority of urgent information; and

  .3 ROUTINE priority messages.

Messages assessed as ROUTINE, are to be broadcast at the next scheduled transmission time. This level of priority will be appropriate for almost all messages broadcast on NAVTEX and is always to be used unless special circumstances dictate the use of the procedures for an IMPORTANT or VITAL priority message.


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