Communication at sea by Eugene Platon

MONTSERRAT YACHTING ASSOCIATION 2013 BRITISH WEST INDIES Communication at sea Communication at sea involves the transfer of information between various points at sea or shore, i.e. ship-to-shore and ship-to-ship communication. The way to communication is possible by sound or visual signaling and by radio or electronic communications. Signaling is divided into: • flag Signaling, • flashing light Signaling using Morse symbols, • sound Signaling by Morse symbol, • voice Signaling over a loud hailer, • and Signaling by radio, i.e. radiotelegraphy. Maritime communications are used for safety, navigational, commercial and miscellaneous purposes. The ship's communicational equipment has undergone a revolutionary development and ranges from the traditional hand flags or arms, the hoist, flares, semaphore, bells, voice hailers, to the modern equipment used in radio or wireless telegraphy (WT), radiotelephony (RT) and satellite communications. SSB (single side band) transmitters, walkie-talkie sets, VHF and FM receivers, transceivers, telex, fax, satcoms, and computers displaying digital data could be found on almost every modern ship. Radio telecommunication at sea had undergone a radical change in the last century. After the days of semaphores and flags (which is still relevant today in some cases), radio brought about a drastic change in marine communication at sea. From the early years of the last century, ships started fitting radio for communicating distress signals among themselves and with the shore. Radio telegraphy using Morse code was used in the early part of the twentieth century for marine communication. In the seventies, after considering the studies of the International Telecommunication Union, IMO brought about a system where ship-to-ship or ship-to-shore communication was put into action with some degree of automation, wherein a skilled radio officer keeping 24×7 watch was not required. Marine communication between ships or with the shore was carried with the help of on board systems through shore stations and even satellites. While ship-to-ship communication was brought about by VHF radio, Digital Selective Calling (DSC) came up with digitally remote control commands to transmit or receive distress alert, urgent or safety calls, or routine priority messages. DSC controllers can now be integrated with the VHF radio as per SOLAS (Safety Of Life at Sea) convention.

MONTSERRAT YACHTING ASSOCIATION 2013 BRITISH WEST INDIES Satellite services, as opposed to terrestrial communication systems, need the help of geostationary satellites for transmitting and receiving signals, where the range of shore stations cannot reach. These marine communication services are provided by INMARSAT (a commercial company) and COSPAS – SARSAT (a multi-national government funded agency). While INMARSAT gives the scope of two way communications, the Cospas-Sarsat has a system that is limited to reception of signals from emergency position and places with no facilities of two way marine communications, indicating radio beacons (EPIRB). For international operational requirements, the Global Maritime Distress Safety System (GMDSS) has divided the world in four sub areas. These are four geographical divisions named as A1, A2, A3 and A4. Different radio communication systems are required by the vessel to be carried on board ships, depending on the area of operation of that particular vessel. A1 – It’s about 20- 30 nautical miles from the coast, which is under coverage of at least one VHF coast radio station in which continuous DSC alerting is available. Equipment used: A VHF, a DSC and a NAVTEX receiver (a navigational telex for receiving maritime and meteorological information). A2 – This area notionally should cover 400 nautical miles off shore but in practice it extends up to 100 nautical miles off shore but this should exclude A1 areas. Equipment used: A DSC, and radio telephone (MF radio range) plus the equipment required for A1 areas. A3 – This is the area excluding the A1 & A2 areas. But the coverage is within 70 degrees north and 70 degree south latitude and is within INMARSAT geostationary satellite range, where continuous alerting is available. Equipment used: A high frequency radio and/ or INMARSAT, a system of receiving MSI (Maritime Safety Information) plus the other remaining systems for A1 and A2 areas. A4 – These are the areas outside sea areas of A1, A2 and A3. These are essentially the Polar Regions North and South of 70 degree of latitude. Equipment used: HF radio service plus those required for other areas. All oceans are covered by HF marine communication services for which the IMO requires to have two coast stations per ocean region. Today almost all ships are fitted with satellite terminal for Ship Security Alerts System (SSAS) and for long range identification and tracking as per SOLAS requirements. On distress, Search and Rescue operations from Maritime Rescue Co-ordination centers are carried out among other methods, with the help of most of these marine navigation © Eugene Platon Yachting School™ http://www.yachting.ms/association/members http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugene_Platon Contacts: GSM:+38-050-206-9872 Skype: eugene.platon e-mail: eplaton@msn.com

MONTSERRAT YACHTING ASSOCIATION 2013 BRITISH WEST INDIES tools. Naturally, the sea has become a lot safer with these gadgets and other important navigation tools recommended by the IMO and as enshrined in GMDSS. Practical communication Most communications today arc carried out by radiotelephony. Safety communications must use simple and clear language. To avoid any possible misunderstanding the language of the safety communication procedures has been codified, first into Morse Signaling Code by ITU, followed later by the International Code of Signals (ICS). IMO has standardized maritime English into what is known today as "IMO Standard Marine Navigational Vocabulary". "Seaspeak" is the most recent improvement of the IMO Standard Vocabulary for use in maritime communications, principally by VHF radio. Any conversation, i.e. a ship-to-ship, ship-to-shore or shore-to-ship exchange, consists of the following stages: 1. Making Contact 2. Exchange of Message 3. End Procedure 1. Making Contact If the name of the ship or station being called is unknown, the following making contact procedure is recommended by SMCP (Standard Marine Communication Phrases 1997) and SEASPEAK: Calling station ALL SHIPS, ALL SHIPS, ALL SHIPS, IN SEA AREA... CALLING UNKNOWN SHIP IN POSITION: - BEARING: 1-8-5 DEGREES FROM PUNTA STELLA - DISTANCE: 4.6 MILES. THIS IS NEWHAVEN RADIO. I-0-4-N. OVER Responding station NEWHAVEN RADIO. I-0-4-N. THIS IS SEA URCHIN, N-W-E-9. IN POSITION: - BEARING: 1-8-5 DEGREES FROM PUNTA STELLA - DISTANCE: 4.6 MILES OVER © Eugene Platon Yachting School™ http://www.yachting.ms/association/members http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugene_Platon Contacts: GSM:+38-050-206-9872 Skype: eugene.platon e-mail: eplaton@msn.com

MONTSERRAT YACHTING ASSOCIATION 2013 BRITISH WEST INDIES In the making contact stage it is usually necessary for one station to indicate the working channel and the other to agree to it: Calling station SEA URCHIN. THIS IS NEWHAVEN RADIO. SWITCH TO VHF CHANNEL TWO – TWO. OVER Responding station NEWHAVEN RADIO. THIS IS SEA URCHIN. AGREE VHF CHANNEL TWO – TWO. OVER If the name of a ship or station is known (i.e. its name and call sign), the making contact procedure is as follows: Calling station PONTEBBA, 1-Q-W-T, PONTLBBA, 1-Q-W-T. THIS IS SEA URCHIN, N-W-F-9, SEA URCHIN, N-W-F-9, ON VHF CHANNEL ONE - SIX. OVER Responding station SEA URCHIN, N-W-F-9, THIS IS PONTEBRA. 1-Q-W-T. OVER 2. Exchange of Messages In the message exchange procedure the following message markers (i.e. words introducing the content and purpose of the message) are: Message Marker Answer to Message Marker Question Answer Instruction Instruction received Advice Advice received Request Request received Information Information received Warning Warning received Intention Intention received © Eugene Platon Yachting School™ http://www.yachting.ms/association/members http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugene_Platon Contacts: GSM:+38-050-206-9872 Skype: eugene.platon e-mail: eplaton@msn.com

MONTSERRAT YACHTING ASSOCIATION 2013 BRITISH WEST INDIES EXAMPLE Question WHAT ARE YOUR INTENTIONS? Warning BUOY NUMBER: ONE - FIVE UNLIT

Answer I INTEND TO ALTER COURSE TO STARBOARD Warning received BUOY NUMBER: ONE - FIVE UNLIT

3. End Procedure In the end procedure the conversation is terminated - NOTHING MORE, using a polite greeting: HAVE A GOOD WATCH, HAVE A PLEASANT VOYAGE TO and the phrase OUT or OVER AND OUT; EXAMPLE Pontebba ... NOTHING MORE. THANK YOU. HAVE A PLEASANT VOYAGE TO CEUTA. OVER Seaside VTS PONTEBBA, THIS IS SEASIDE VTS. THANK YOU. HAVE A GOOD WATCH. OVER AND OUT IMO standard marine communication phrases during Search and Rescue (SAR) Performing/coordinating SAR – operations. The questions are normally asked and advice is given by the Coordinator Surface Search (CSS) or the On-scene Commander (OSC). For further information see IMO-MERSAR Manual, 1993. I am/will act as Coordinator Surface Search. I will show following signals/lights. Can you proceed to distress position? - Yes, I can proceed to distress position. - No, I cannot proceed to distress position. When will you arrive at distress position? - I will arrive at distress position within ... hours/ at... UTC. The position given in MAYDAY not correct. - Correct position .... Vessels are advised to proceed to position ... to start rescue. Carry out search pattern ... starting at... UTC. © Eugene Platon Yachting School™ http://www.yachting.ms/association/members http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugene_Platon Contacts: GSM:+38-050-206-9872 Skype: eugene.platon e-mail: eplaton@msn.com

MONTSERRAT YACHTING ASSOCIATION 2013 BRITISH WEST INDIES - Carrying out search pattern ... starting at... UTC. Initial course ... degrees, search speed... knots. Carry out radar search. - Carrying out radar search. MV... is allocated track number.... MV/MVs ... adjust interval between vessels to ... kilometers/nautical miles. - Interval between vessels adjusted to ... kilometers/nautical miles. Adjust track spacing to ... kilometers/nautical miles. - Track spacing adjusted to ... kilometers/nautical miles. Search speed now ... knots. Alter course to... degrees (at... UTC). - Course altered to ... degrees (at... UTC). Alter course for next leg of track now/at... UTC. - Course altered for next leg of track. We resume search in position.... Crew has abandoned vessel. Keep sharp lockout for lifeboats/liferafts. What is result of search? - Result of search negative. Continue search in position .... Sighted vessel in position .... Sighted derelict / lifeboats / liferafts / lifejackets in position .... Sighted oil slick in position.... Can you pick up survivors? - Yes, I can pick up survivors. - No, I cannot pick up survivors. I/MV... will proceed to pick up survivors. Stand by at lifeboats/liferafts. Picked up ... survivors in position.... Picked up ... lifejackets in position.... Picked up lifeboat/life raft with ... casualties in position.... Picked up ... casualties in lifejackets in position.... Survivors in bad/good condition. Do you require medical assistance? - Yes, I require medical assistance. - No, I do not require medical assistance. There are still... /no more lifeboats/liferafts with survivors. Total number of persons on board was .... Rescued all persons/... persons. You/MV... can stop search and proceed. We finish with SAR - operations. EXAMPLE See video on Hetman Sahaidachny – end of Part 1 and beginning of Part 2.

MONTSERRAT YACHTING ASSOCIATION 2013 BRITISH WEST INDIES PHONETIC ALPHABET Letter

Word

Pronounced as

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Alfa Bravo Charlie Delta Echo Foxtrot Golf Hotel India Juliett Kilo Lima Mike November Oscar Papa Quebec Romeo Sierra Tango Uniform Victor Whiskey X-ray Yankee Zulu

ALFAH BRAVO CHAR LEE or 'SHAR LEE DELLTA ECKO FOKSTROT GOLF HOH 'TELL IN DEE AH JEW LEE ETT KEY LOH LEE MAH MIKE NO'VEM BER OSS CAH PAH PAH KEH BECK ROW ME OH SEE 'AIR RAH TANG GO YOU NEE FORM VIK TAH WISS KEY EKS RAY YANG KEY ZOO LOO

Answer the following questions: 1. What does communication at sea involve? 2. What are the various ways to communicate at sea? 3. What are maritime communications used for? 4. Which of the traditional communicational means/devices are still used on board? 5. How are most communications carried out today? 6. What is the modern language of the sea? 7. What is this standardized language called? 8. What is "Seaspeak"?

MONTSERRAT YACHTING ASSOCIATION 2013 BRITISH WEST INDIES