5.4 Standard elements of messages
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Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - Circulars - Maritime Safety Committee - MSC.1/Circular.1310 – Revised Joint IMO/IHO/WMO Manual on Maritime Safety Information (MSI) – (8 June 2009) - Annex - 5 – The Structure of Navigational Warnings - 5.4 Standard elements of messages

5.4 Standard elements of messages

  5.4.1 The minimum information which a mariner requires to avoid danger is:

Parent topic: 5 – The Structure of Navigational Warnings

Hazard + Position

 It is usual, however, to include amplifying remarks in order to provide sufficient extra details to clearly identify the significance of the hazard and to assist mariners in recognizing and assessing its effect upon their navigation. The time, date and duration of the event shall be included if known.

  5.4.2 A message can have up to three parts: Preamble, Warning, and Postscript. Sections 6 and 7 of the Manual give guidance on the correct way of phrasing each part of the warning to achieve maximum impact with minimum broadcast time.

  5.4.3 The text of a navigational warning shall contain specific message elements, identified and ordered by the reference numbers shown in Figure 3 and expanded in Section 6. The format and structure of a message should ensure that each message element begins on a new line.

  5.4.4 The first words of the text of every warning message shall always be the message series identifier, followed by the consecutive number; this may be preceded on a separate line by the time of origin of the message.

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