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Telecom affairs

Maritime communications

The international emergency and safety telecommunication system of today is built upon the principles of GMDSS, the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System.

 

The inspection of telecommunication installations and the ussuance of safety certificates

The telecommunication installation must be inspected yearly under the supervision of the Post and Telecom Administration. I every instance the inspector fills out an inspection report.

The PTA inspects telecommunication equipment in all fishing vessels longer than 24. meters, and in those fishing vessels that go further than ocean region A1.  The Icelandic Transport Authority (ICETRA)  issues safety certificates for these vessels.

Accredited inspection agencies conduct inspections of telecommunication equipment in ships and boats than keep within the A1 ocean region. Their inspection reports are sent to the PTA which then issues safety certificates for those vessels.

All other vessels, such as passenger ships and freighters are inspected by the PTA inspectors and PTA then issues safety certificates fort those ships.

 

Personal telecommunication certificates

Persons that operate telecommunications facilities aboard ships must be qualified to do so, and the PTA is responsible for issueing certificates to confirm this.

In ocean region A1 the person responsible for communications shall be in the possession of a Restricted Operator´s Certificate, ROC. At least one member of the crew shall have such certificate.

Ships sailing only within ocean region  A1 shall carry aboard at least one crew member with a Restricted Radiotelephone Operator´s Certificate, ROC.

Ships sailing only within ocean regions  A1 and A2 shall have aboard at least one crew member with a .

Ships sailing outside ocean region A2 shall have aboard at least two crew members with a General Operator´s Certificate.

Ocean regions

Requirements applicable to marine equipment depend on the ocean area that a ship is allowed to sail in (A1, A2, A3 and A4).

  • Ocean region A1: The region bounded by the coverage of coast stations for speech communication and calling with digital selective calling (DSC) on VHF. As DSC on VHF is not implemented in Icelandic coast stations this ocean region is not defined around Iceland.
  • Ocean region A2: The region external to A1 that is bounded by the coverage of coast stations for speech communication and calling with digital selective calling (DSC) in medium frequency band (MF)
  • Ocean region A3: The region external to regions A1 and A2 that is bounded by the coverage of the geosynchronous INMARSAT satellites for the sending of warnings, i.e. between 70° N and 70° S.
  • Ocean region A4: The region external to regions A1, A2 and A3.

 

Numbers

In the following registers information can be found about numbers that have been allocated to Icelandic ships: MMSI (DSC and 406 MHz emergency beacons), INMARSAT Standard A, Standard B, Standard C and Standard M and Selcall (Radiotelex).

 

Updated July 19th 2021.