05/10/2016
The FCC has issued an "Enforcement Advisory[1]" aimed at vessel owners with
marine radios on board.
"Many of these radios are capable of sending automated messages that the US
Coast Guard and other search and rescue authorities rely on to locate vessels
in distress," the FCC advisory said.
"Therefore, it is critical for owners of vessels with certain ship radios to
comply with FCC rules requiring accurate information in these automated
messages."
These include the Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI[2]) number, a unique
nine-digit number assigned to vessels with to ship radios equipped with Digital
Selective Calling (DSC) or Automatic Identification System (AIS). Search and
rescue authorities, including the Coast Guard, use the MMSI to learn background
information about a vessel in distress and to determine whether the alert is
false.
"An accurate MMSI database helps to protect lives and property at sea by
reducing the time needed to locate vessels in distress. However, the use of an
unauthorized MMSI can seriously compromise search and rescue efforts, including
misdirecting search and rescue forces and alerting the wrong emergency
contacts," the advisory said. "The Coast Guard estimates that approximately
10,000 vessels' MMSIs are inaccurate on any given day."
[1] https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-16-513A1.pdf
[2] http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=mtMmsi
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