ISPS Circular : NT/ISPS/COM/06/2004

Dated July 1, 2004

1.    Attention of all Ship owners, operators, Masters and Seafarers is invited to Regulation 6, Chapter XI – 2 of the SOLAS convention 1974 as amended on the subject.

2.   The Ship Security Alert System (SSAS) shall be provided to the following type of vessels on International voyages as under:

1. Ships constructed on or after 1 July 2004;
2. Passenger ships, including high speed passenger craft, constructed before 1 July 2004, not later than the first survey of the radio installation after 1 July 2004;
3. Oil tankers, chemical tankers, gas carriers, bulk carriers and cargo, high-speed craft, of 500 gross tonnage and upwards constructed before 1 July 2004, not later than the first survey of the radio installation after 1 July 2004; and
4. Other cargo ships of 500 gross tonnage and upward and mobile offshore drilling units constructed before 1 July 2004, not later than the first survey of the radio installation after 1 July 2006.

3.1  The SSAS shall meet the performance standards adopted by IMO under Res. MSC 136(76), MSC 147(77) and MSC Circular 1072. It may be a part of the existing radio installation or may be a stand-alone unit. If the SSAS is a component of existing radio installation, it shall not interfere with the normal function of the existing equipment. Such arrangement shall meet the relevant sections of IEC 60945.  

3.2 The dedicated equipment used for transmission of Security Alert should not be used for any other routine communication. The system should have the main source of electrical power and a backup source, which may include emergency source or independent supply. However, an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) or such similar device may also be considered as an alternate source of power.  

3.3 Ships registered under the Merchant Shipping Act as referred in para 2 above shall be equipped with SSA duly approved by the Directorate General of Shipping. 

4.1  The SSAS should be documented in the Ship Security Plan. The location of activation points should be specified in the plan and may form a part of the “Confidential” Section of the plan. It is advised that such information shall be known to the Master, Ship Security Officer and other ship personnel as may be decided by the Master and the SSO.  

4.2 If the ship has been fitted with a  “SSAS” after approval of the ship security plan (SSP), the relevant section of the plan shall be revised and shall form a part of the SSP. While submitting the revisions, the resubmission should clearly give the particulars of the equipment and other details for information of Directorate General of Shipping (as per enclosed format) under Annex A. Upon such fitment the Master and the CSO shall confirm that the system has been fitted on board the ship in accordance with the approved SSP. A functional test by way of activation shall be demonstrated for compliance to the DGS through a test message to the communication center.

4.3 The functionality test of the SSAS shall be demonstrated during every Safety Radio Survey and during Intermediate or Renewal audit for International ship security certificate. The unit should be capable of being tested in the presence of representative from the flag state. DGS should be notified in advance of any test and such test shall be documented.

5.1 In accordance with the provisions under Regulation 6.2.1 of Chapter XI – 2 of the SOLAS         Convention, the Director General of Shipping has decided that the Directorate General of Shipping will
perform as “Competent Authority” for the purpose of reception of Ship Security Alerts. All alerts generated by an alert system shall be sent to the communication center. Ship owners/managers are    hereby advised to inform the service providers if any for necessary programming or attachment to the     SSAS.

5.2 The Directorate’s communication center details are as follows:

           E-mail: dgcommcentre@vsnl.net 
           Fax No: 91 22   22613636.
           Tel No:  91 22   22614646, 22610606, 30959320

Ship owners/managers and operators shall provide the information as per the Annex for effective monitoring and control. 

6.1 The ship while transmitting an alert, following particulars should be generated automatically without any intervention from the service provider. The particulars may include:

a)      Ship’s name
b)      IMO number
c)      UTC Date & Time
d)      MMSI number
e)      Position in Lat & Long.
f)       A short message indicating the type of threat under threat if the circumstances permit. 

6.2 The ship security alert when activated shall transmit the alert at communication center. Once activated the SSAS should continue to transmit unless reset or deactivated. The frequency of transmission of alert should be transmitted at intervals not exceeding 30 minutes.  

6.3 As soon as the notification of Ship Security Alert is received, the verification / authenticity of the alert shall be verified by the communication centre to the extent possible. Once the  communication centre receives a confirmed notification of a SSA it will notify the concerned agencies of the coastal states in case the vessel is outside India, otherwise the same will be  informed to the nearest agency concerned.  

1. Ships, Ports and other maritime interest are encouraged to forward any relevant information to the communication center which may have direct relevance to threat to ships in or around the coastal waters of India. This is to ensure that necessary advice or assistance can be provided as required under reg. 7.2 of Ch. XI-2 of the SOLAS convention.

Ship owners, managers and operators are hereby encouraged to comply with the above instructions with immediate effect.
Sd/-
(Capt.L.K.Panda)
Dy. Nautical Adviser to the Govt. of India

No.                                                                                                        Date:

To

The Nautical Adviser to the Govt. of India,
Directorate General of Shipping,
Nautical Branch,
Mumbai  

                      Kind Attn:  Capt. L. K. Panda, Dy. Nautical Adviser

                                        to the Govt. of India  

Sir,

           Enclosed please find Form No. A & B as required vide Circular No. NT/ISPS/COM/06/2004 dt. 01/07/2004.

Yours Sincerely

 
ANNEX – A

DETAIL OF COMMUNICATION APPLIANCE ON SHORE
 

Note: a) All telephone & Fax Numbers to indicate area code
         b) While indicating INMARSAT ID, indicate telephone, telex & fax

ANNEX - B
 

DETAIL OF SHIP'S COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT

*Delete as applicable

Back to nt circulars main page