2.2 Definitions

.1 Coast Earth Station (CES) means a fixed terrestrial radio facility acting as a gateway between terrestrial networks and the Inmarsat satellites in the maritime mobile-satellite service. This may also be referred to as a Land Earth Station (LES).

.2 Coastal warning means a navigational warning promulgated as part of a numbered series by a National coordinator. Broadcast shall be made by the International NAVTEX service to defined NAVTEX service areas and/or by the International SafetyNET service to coastal warning areas. (In addition, Administrations may issue coastal warnings by other means.)

.3 Coastal warning area means a unique and precisely defined sea area within a NAVAREA/METAREA or Sub-Area established by a coastal State for the purpose of coordinating the broadcast of coastal maritime safety information through the SafetyNET service.

.4 HF NBDP means High Frequency narrow-band direct-printing, using radio telegraphy as defined in Recommendation ITU-R M.688.

.5 In-force bulletin means a list of serial numbers of those NAVAREA, Sub-Area or coastal warnings in force issued and broadcast by the NAVAREA coordinator, Sub-Area coordinator or National coordinator during at least the previous six weeks.

.6 International NAVTEX service means the coordinated broadcast and automatic reception on 518 kHz of maritime safety information by means of narrow-band direct-printing telegraphy using the English language^footnote.

.7 International SafetyNET service means the coordinated broadcasting and automated reception of maritime safety information via the Inmarsat Enhanced Group Call (EGC) system, using the English language, in accordance with the provisions of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, as amended.

.8 Local warning means a navigational warning which covers inshore waters, often within the limits of jurisdiction of a harbour or port authority.

.9 Main Shipping Lanes means those routes used by international shipping.

.10 Maritime safety information (MSI)^footnote means navigational and meteorological warnings, meteorological forecasts and other urgent safety-related messages broadcast to ships.

.11 Maritime safety information service means the internationally and nationally coordinated network of broadcasts containing information which is necessary for safe navigation.

.12 METAREA means a geographical sea area^footnote established for the purpose of coordinating the broadcast of marine meteorological information. The term METAREA followed by a roman numeral may be used to identify a particular sea area. The delimitation of such areas is not related to and shall not prejudice the delimitation of any boundaries between States.

.13 Meteorological information means the marine meteorological warning and forecast information in accordance with the provisions of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, as amended.

.14 National coordinator means the national authority charged with collating and issuing coastal warnings within a national area of responsibility.

.15 National NAVTEX service means the broadcast and automatic reception of maritime safety information by means of narrow-band direct-printing telegraphy using frequencies other than 518 kHz and languages as decided by the Administration concerned.

.16 National SafetyNET service means the broadcasting and automated reception of maritime safety information via the Inmarsat EGC system, using languages as decided by the Administration concerned.

.17 NAVAREA means a geographical sea area^footnoteestablished for the purpose of coordinating the broadcast of navigational warnings. The term NAVAREA followed by a roman numeral may be used to identify a particular sea area. The delimitation of such areas is not related to and shall not prejudice the delimitation of any boundaries between States.

.18 NAVAREA coordinator means the authority charged with coordinating, collating and issuing NAVAREA warnings for a designated NAVAREA.

.19 NAVAREA warning means a navigational warning or in-force bulletin promulgated as part of a numbered series by a NAVAREA coordinator.

.20 Navigational warning means a message containing urgent information relevant to safe navigation broadcast to ships in accordance with the provisions of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, as amended.

.21 NAVTEX means the system for the broadcast and automatic reception of maritime safety information by means of narrow-band direct-printing telegraphy.

.22 NAVTEX service area means a unique and precisely defined sea area for which maritime safety information is provided from a particular NAVTEX transmitter.

.23 NAVTEX coordinator means the authority charged with operating and managing one or more NAVTEX stations broadcasting maritime safety information as part of the International NAVTEX service.

.24 Other urgent safety-related information means maritime safety information broadcast to ships that is not defined as a navigational warning, meteorological information or SAR information. This may include, but is not limited to, significant malfunctions or changes to maritime communications systems, and new or amended mandatory ship reporting systems or maritime regulations affecting ships at sea.

.25 SafetyNET means the international service for the broadcasting and automatic reception of maritime safety information through the Inmarsat EGC system. SafetyNET receiving capability is part of the mandatory equipment which is required to be carried by certain ships in accordance with the provisions of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, as amended.

.26 SAR information means distress alert relays and other urgent search and rescue information broadcast to ships.

.27 Sea Area A1 means an area within the radiotelephone coverage of at least one VHF coast station in which continuous DSC^footnote alerting is available, as may be defined by a Contracting Government.

.28 Sea Area A2 means an area, excluding sea area A1, within the radiotelephone coverage of at least one MF coast station in which continuous DSC alerting is available, as may be defined by a Contracting Government.

.29 Sea Area A3 means an area, excluding sea areas A1 and A2, within the coverage of an Inmarsat geostationary satellite in which continuous alerting is available.

.30 Sea Area A4 means an area outside sea areas A1, A2 and A3.

.31 Sub-Area means a sub-division of a NAVAREA/METAREA in which a number of countries have established a coordinated system for the promulgation of maritime safety information. The delimitation of such areas is not related to and shall not prejudice the delimitation of any boundaries between States.

.32 Sub-Area coordinator means the authority charged with coordinating, collating and issuing Sub-Area warnings for a designated Sub-Area.

.33 Sub-Area warning means a navigational warning promulgated as part of a numbered series by a Sub-Area coordinator. Broadcast shall be made by the International NAVTEX service to defined NAVTEX service areas or by the International SafetyNET service (through the appropriate NAVAREA coordinator.)

.34 User defined area means a temporary geographic area, either circular or rectangular, to which maritime safety information is addressed.

.35 UTC means Coordinated Universal Time which is equivalent to GMT (or ZULU) as the international time standard.

.36 World-Wide Navigational Warning Service (WWNWS) ^footnote means the internationally and nationally coordinated service for the promulgation of navigational warnings.

.37 In the operating procedures coordination means that the allocation of the time for data broadcast is centralized, the format and criteria of data transmissions are compliant as described in the Joint IMO/IHO/WMO Manual on Maritime Safety Information and that all services are managed as set out in IMO resolutions A.705(17), as amended and A.(706)17, as amended.