Resolution MSC.278(85)

ADOPTION OF THE NEW MANDATORY SHIP REPORTING SYSTEM "OFF THE COAST OF PORTUGAL – COPREP"

(adopted on 1 December 2008)

 

 

THE MARITIME SAFETY COMMITTEE,

 

RECALLING Article 28(b) of the Convention on the International Maritime Organization concerning the functions of the Committee,

 

RECALLING ALSO regulation V/11 of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 (SOLAS Convention), in relation to the adoption of ship reporting systems by the Organization,

 

RECALLING FURTHER resolution A.858(20) resolving that the function of adopting ship reporting systems shall be performed by the Committee on behalf of the Organization,

 

TAKING INTO ACCOUNT the guidelines and criteria for ship reporting systems adopted by resolution MSC.43(64), as amended by resolutions MSC.111(73) and MSC.189(79),

 

HAVING CONSIDERED the recommendations of the Sub-Committee on Safety of Navigation at its fifty-fourth session,

 

1. ADOPTS, in accordance with SOLAS regulation V/11, the new mandatory ship reporting system "Off the coast of Portugal – COPREP", set out in the Annex;

 

2. DECIDES that the mandatory ship reporting system, "COPREP", will enter into force at 0000 hours UTC on 1 June 2009; and

 

3. REQUESTS the Secretary-General to bring this resolution and its Annex to the attention of the Member Governments and Contracting Governments to the 1974 SOLAS Convention.

 

Annex.

MANDATORY SHIP REPORTING SYSTEM
"OFF THE COAST OF PORTUGAL – COPREP"

 

1. Categories of ships required to participate in the system

 

The following vessels are required to participate in the COPREP System:

 

(a) all vessels of 300 gross tonnage or above;

 

(b) all vessels carrying dangerous, hazardous and/or potentially polluting cargo;

 

(c) all passenger vessels;

 

(d) vessels engaged in towing or pushing where the combined length of the vessel and tow or pushed vessel is more than 100 m LOA;

 

(e) fishing vessels with an LOA of 24 m or above; and

 

(f) any other type of vessel is invited to voluntarily participate in the System.

 

2. Geographical coverage of the proposed systems and the number and edition of the reference chart used for delineation of the system

 

2.1 Geographical coverage of the proposed systems

 

The Ship Reporting System area is bounded by the shore and:

 

(a) In the North: latitude 39º45' N

 

(b) In the West and South: By a line joining the following geographical positions:

 

(i)   39º45' N  010º14' W

 

(ii)  38º41' N  010º14' W

 

(iii) 36º30' N  009º35' W

 

(iv)  36º15' N  008º30' W

 

(c) In the East: longitude 008º30' W

 

2.2 Reference chart

 

The reference chart is "Cabo Finisterra a Casablanca", Number 21101, Catalogue of Nautical Charts of the Portuguese Hydrographic Office, 4th impression – April 2002 (Note: This chart is based on WGS 84 Datum).

 

3. Reports and Procedures (Format and content of reports, authority to which reports should be sent)

 

3.1 Format

 

The format of information required in the COPREP reports is derived from the format given in resolution A.851(20) – General Principles for Ship Reporting Systems and Reporting Requirements, including guidelines for reporting incidents involving dangerous goods, harmful substances and/or marine pollutants.

 

3.2 Content

 

Vessels required to participate in the System shall make a report, with the short title "COPREP", to Roca Control and shall contain the following information, which is considered essential for the purpose of the System:

 

 

Any vessel may elect, for reasons of commercial confidentiality, to communicate the information regarding cargo (designator P of the report), by non-verbal means prior to entering the System.

 

3.3 Time and geographical position for submitting reports

 

3.3.1 Ships must submit a report:

 

(a) on entering the reporting area as defined in paragraph 2.1; or

 

(b) immediately after leaving a port, terminal or anchorage situated in the reporting area; or

 

(c) when deviating from the route leading to the originally declared destination, port, terminal, anchorage or position "for orders" given on entry into the reporting area; or

 

(d) when it is necessary to deviate from the planned route owing to weather conditions, damaged equipment or a change in navigational status; or

 

(e) when something is detected that could affect safety of navigation in the area; or

 

(f) on finally leaving the reporting area; or

 

(g) when requested by COPREP operator.

 

3.3.2 Ships who have submitted a voluntary report with the same designator letters prior to entering the reporting area are only required to submit a mandatory report:

 

(a) if there are any changes in previously submitted information;

 

(b) with designator letters "A" and "H" when entering the reporting area.

 

3.4 Shore-based authority

 

The shore-based authority for COPREP mandatory ship reporting system, to which these reports should be sent, is ROCA CONTROL (identified in paragraph 7).

 

4. Information to be provided to the participating ship and the procedures to be followed:

 

ROCA CONTROL is an information service. Ships are provided with information broadcasts on weather, hazards affecting the safety of navigation and other traffic in the area.

 

These broadcasts include:

 

(a) traffic information;

 

(b) hampered vessels such as vessels not under command or vessels restricted in their ability to manoeuvre;

 

(c) adverse weather conditions;

 

(d) weather warnings and forecast;

 

(e) displaced or defective aids to navigation;

 

(f) radar assistance; and

 

(g) information on local harbours.

 

Information is broadcast on request or whenever necessary. Information broadcasts on ROCA CONTROL VHF main channel are preceded by an announcement on VHF channel 16. Information may be more frequent on occasions of adverse weather conditions, reduced visibility and imminent incident or accident.

 

The VTS centre is linked to MRCC LISBON and pollution control authorities in order to allow a prompt response to any emerging distress or urgent situation.

 

5. Communication requirements for the system, including frequencies on which reports should be transmitted and information to be reported:

 

The communications required for the COPREP are as follows:

 

(a) The call to the shore-based authority shall be made on the VHF channel assigned to Vessel Traffic Service in the Portuguese Coast, or by the other available means based on the following contact information:

 

 

 

(b) The language used for communication shall be Portuguese or English, using the IMO Standard Marine Communications Phrases, where necessary.

 

(c) Information of commercial confidentiality may be transmitted by non-verbal means.

 

6. Rules and regulations in force in the area of the proposed system

 

Portugal has taken appropriate action to implement international conventions to which it is a party including, where appropriate, adopting domestic legislation and promulgating regulations through domestic law. Relevant laws in force include domestic legislation and international regulations such as:

 

(a) International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs), 1972, as amended;

 

(b) International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974, as amended;

 

(c) International Convention on the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL 73/78); and

 

(d) Directive 2002/59/CE.

 

7. Shore-based facilities and personnel qualifications and training required to support the operation of the proposed system

 

7.1 Shore-based facilities

 

ROCA CONTROL maintains a continuous 24-hour watch over the COPREP area. The facilities of the Roca Control are the following:

 

(a) 8 Coastal Radars:

 

(i) Long-range SCANTER primary radars

 

(ii) Focus of long distance sea side coverage

 

(iii) Special high gain 21" antennas

 

(iv) Surveillance of all the continental Portuguese Coast

 

(v) Video from selected radar and combined radar data available to main centre's VTS operator;

 

(b) 8 Harbour Radars:

 

(i) Short range primary radars (for 3 of those)

 

(ii) Surveillance of the harbours approach area (for 5 of those)

 

(iii) Video from selected radar and combined radar data available to main centre's VTS operator;

 

(c) 11 AIS Sites:

 

(i) Automatic identification of ships:

 

- IMO standards

 

- 3 types of information: ship static, dynamic and voyage

 

(ii) Based on GPS positioning

 

(iii) AIS position data merged with radar data at operator display (TDS)

 

(iv) Ship identification correlated with National Maritime Ship Database;

 

(d) 11 Voice Radio Communication Sites:

 

(i) VHF voice radio communication with ships and aeronautical emergency channel

 

(ii) Complete coverage of the continental Portuguese Coast

 

(iii) VTS operators are able to communicate within the coverage area

 

(iv) Telephone and electronic communication between harbours and VTS control centres;

 

(e) 11 VHF Direction Finder Sites: