Far Eastern Basin Branch News

Vladivostok sea areas A1 and A2 GMDSS coast stations pass regular examination

Based on the results of the Rosmorrechflot’s inspection, conducted in accordance with the Regulations on the approval of equipment types and inspection of the facilities and centers approved by the Order of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation No. 32 of 10.02.2010, FSUE “Rosmorport” has obtained certificates No. GMDSS-3/1-3260-2022 of 04.05.2022 and No. GMDSS-3/1-3261-2022 of 04.05.2022 on conformity of the Vladivostok sea areas A1 and A2 GMDSS coast stations with the requirements of the Order of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation No. 226 of 23.07.2015 and on possibility of their use in GMDSS.

Vladivostok sea areas A1 and A2 GMDSS coast stations were put into operation in December 1999. In the period from 2000 to 2022, Vladivostok coast stations 6 times successfully underwent examinations on their compliance with actual requirements for the operation of such equipment in the GMDSS system.

The Vladivostok sea area A1 GMDSS coast station consists of a control center located in Vladivostok and base radio stations “Vladivostok”, “Nakhodka” and “mount Tumannaya”, which are located on Mount Busse (Vladivostok), on the radio transmitting center of Nakhodka and on Mount Tumannaya (Zarubino village, Khasansky district) respectively.

The Vladivostok sea area A2 GMDSS coast station consists of a control center located in Vladivostok, a receiving radio station located at Cape Kamensky, and a transmitting radio station located at Cape Povorotny.

The range of the radio stations of the Vladivostok sea area A1 GMDSS coast station ranges is 45 to 70 nautical miles.

The range of the receiving and transmitting radio stations of the Vladivostok sea area A2 GMDSS coast station is 150 nautical miles.

The following activities are carried out using Vladivostok sea areas A1 and A2 GMDSS coast stations:

- keeping a continuous radio watch and radio exchange in the range of very high frequencies (for area A1) and medium waves (for area A2) of the maritime mobile service, with constant possibility of receiving distress messages using a digital selective call and stable communication with vessels in the mode of radiotelephony;

- operational communication between vessels and the marine rescue and coordination center of the Federal State Budgetary Institution “Administration of Seaports of Primorsky Krai and the Eastern Arctic” in Peter the Great Bay to organize search and rescue operations;

- automatic execution of procedures for processing a distress call, urgency and safety using DSC technology with vessels at sea located within the area with boundaries determined in accordance with the criteria established by the International Maritime Organization for sea areas A1 and A2 GMDSS shore-based radio stations and for ensuring safety.

On average, more than 100 thousand vessels are located annually in the area of operation of Vladivostok sea areas A1 and A2 coast stations.

In 2022, operators of Vladivostok coast stations took part in several emergency rescue operations. In particular, in June 2022, Vladivostok sea area A1 GMDSS coast station was used to provide reliable radio communications for coordinating emergency rescue units during an operation to rescue crew members of the fishing vessel “Iklarand” suffering a fire breaking out in the engine room. As a result of the successfully completed work, emergency rescue units rescued 14 crew members, including the injured captain of the fishing vessel. During the rescue, the operators of the Vladivostok sea area A1 GMDSS coast station followed the established rules of action strictly and skillfully, which ensured the success of the mission.