1 PURPOSE
These Guidelines are intended to provide basic guidance to port State
control officers (PSCOs) to verify compliance with the requirements of SOLAS
1974 for Long-Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT).
2 APPLICATION
2.1 LRIT equipment is required by the provisions of SOLAS 1974 regulation
V/19-1, and the Revised performance standards and functional
requirements for the Long-Range Identification and Tracking of ships (resolution MSC.263(84)), as amended, and requires all passenger ships,
cargo ships (including high-speed craft) over 300 gross tonnage and mobile offshore
drilling units (MODUs) to send LRIT position information at least every six hours.
Ships fitted with an automatic identification system (AIS) and operated exclusively
within sea area A1 are not required to comply with LRIT. Sea area A1 is defined by
SOLAS 1974 regulation IV/2.1.12 as "an area within the radiotelephone coverage of
at least one VHF coast station in which continuous DSC alerting is available, as may
be defined by a Contracting Government".
2.2 SOLAS Contracting Governments are expected to maintain an LRIT data
centre, either on a national basis, or on a regional or cooperative basis with other
flag States, and notify IMO of it. In turn, these LRIT data centres will forward,
upon request, LRIT information from ships entitled to fly their flags, to other
SOLAS Contracting Governments through the International LRIT Data
Exchange. Port States are entitled to request LRIT information from foreign ships
that have indicated their intention to enter a port, port facility or place under
its jurisdiction.
2.3 In most cases a stand-alone Inmarsat C or Inmarsat mini-C terminal
used for GMDSS or ship security alert system will function as the LRIT terminal, but
other equipment may be employed for the LRIT function (example, Inmarsat D+ or
Iridium).
3 INSPECTION OF SHIPS REQUIRED TO CARRY LRIT EQUIPMENT
3.1 Initial inspection
3.1.1 The PSCO should first establish the sea area the ship is certified
to operate in. This verification should ensure that the ship is subject to the LRIT
regulation in relation to its ship type and tonnage. After the certificate check,
the PSCO should verify that:
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.1 the Record of Equipment (Form E, P or C) indicates LRIT as
required, if applicable; andfootnote
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.2 the equipment identified by the ship's representative as the
designated LRIT terminal is switched on.footnote
3.1.2 In case of recent transfer of flag, the PSCO may further ensure
that:
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.1 a conformance test report has been re-issued if the new flag
State does not recognize the issuing body of the existing conformance test
report; or
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.2 a new conformance test has been carried out by the application
service provider (ASP) on behalf of the Administration before issuance of a
new test report and certificate.
3.2 Clear grounds
Conditions which may warrant a more detailed inspection of equipment
used for LRIT may comprise the following:
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.1 defective main or emergency source of energy;
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.2 information or indication that LRIT equipment is not functioning properly;
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.3 ship does not hold conformance test report; and
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.4 the "record of navigational activities" indicates that the
LRIT installation has been switched off and that this has not been reported
to the flag Administration as required by SOLAS 1974 regulation
V/19-1.7.2.
3.3 More detailed inspection
3.3.1 In case of doubt or reports of malfunctioning of the LRIT
installation, the flag Administration may be contacted to determine if the ship's
LRIT information has been reliably relayed to the LRIT data centre.
3.3.2 If any issues are identified at the initial inspection, a more
detailed inspection of equipment used for LRIT may comprise the following:
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.1 verification of the power supply, which should be connected to
the main source of energy and the emergency source of energy – there is no
requirement for an uninterrupted power source; if LRIT is part of the GMDSS
radio-installation, the power supply should conform to GMDSS
regulations;
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.2 inspection of the "record of navigational activities" log to
establish if and when the installation has been switched off and if this has
been reported to the flag Administration (SOLAS 1974 regulation
V/19-1.7.2 and resolution MSC.263(84), paragraph 4.4.1); and
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.3 ensuring that any conformance test report is issued on behalf
of the flag State, even by itself or by an authorized application service
provider (see MSC.1/Circ.1377/Rev.11 and updated versions as shown
in GISIS), available for a ship that has an LRIT installation.
4 Deficiencies warranting detention
4.1 A PSCO should use professional judgement to determine whether to
detain the ship until any noted deficiencies are corrected or to permit a vessel to
sail with deficiencies.footnote
4.2 In order to assist the PSCO in the use of these Guidelines, the
following deficiencies should be considered to be of such nature that they may
warrant the detention of a ship:
4.3 Taking into account the guidance found in the Guidance on the
implementation of the LRIT system (MSC.1/Circ.1298), PSCOs are also advised that ships should not be
detained if the LRIT installation on board works but the shore-side installation or
organization is not able to receive, relay or process the information.
4.4 PSCOs are advised that a flag State may issue a short-term
certificate; this could happen if, following a successful inspection for the
issuance of a conformance test report, the ASP has not been able to issue a document
yet, or if the ASP is not able to perform a conformance test in due time upon the
request of the shipowner.