EN

Brussels, 3.10.2006

SEC(2006) 1268

COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT

For the Council Shipping Working Party

IMO - European Community position to be adopted by the Council on

Long-Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT)

for agenda item 8 of the 82nd session of the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC 82) meeting in Istanbul from 29 November to 8 December 2006

COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT

For the Council Shipping Working Party

IMO - European Community position to be adopted by the Council on

Long-Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT)

for agenda item 8 of the 82nd session of the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC 82) meeting in Istanbul from 29 November to 8 December 2006

1. Purpose

This document contains a proposal, for the approval of the Council Shipping Working party, to be submitted to IMO concerning the implementation of the Long Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT), system as decided by the IMO Maritime Safety Committee at its 81st session.

2. Background

2.1 The Commission services recall Staff Working Documents SEC (2005) 586 of 27/4/2005 [1] and the resulting EU submission to the IMO document MSC/ISWG/LRIT 1/3/2 and SEC (2005) 1061 of 19/8/2005 [2] related to the preparatory IMO work on LRIT as well as the Council’s conclusions related to these issues [3], and the consequently adopted Community positions on LRIT [4].

2.2 The IMO Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) at its 81st session unanimously adopted amendments to SOLAS to make LRIT mandatory for passenger ships, cargo ships of 300 GT and upwards and mobile offshore drilling units. The requirements will be part of chapter V of SOLAS as Regulation 19-1. Performance standards are given in Resolution MSC.210 (81) and arrangements for the timely establishment of the LRIT system are given in Resolution MSC. 211 (81).

2.3 The IMO Contracting Governments agreed that LRIT Data Centres, other than the International LRIT Data Centre, should be in a position to start the integration of ships into the system as soon as possible after 1 July 2008, but not later than 1 October 2008. In order to achieve this, the Contracting Governments to SOLAS shall, in accordance with resolution MSC.211, have the data distribution plan for ships flying their flag ready by the 1 January 2008.

Contracting Governments must also declare which LRIT data centre will receive the LRIT transmissions for ships flying their flag and distribute this information on request.

Contracting Governments are also invited to inform MSC 82 in November this year on the progress of implementing the LRIT system.

3. LRIT objectives

The LRIT system, initially put forward as a system for ship and port security has been adopted as an identification and tracking system for several purposes. The inclusion of the system in chapter V of SOLAS sends a clear message that the system shall also be used for safety in general, including SAR and environmental protection. This is a development similar to the AIS that initially was a ship to ship anti-collision system.

4. VTMIS and SafeSeaNet

The Commission [5] and several Member States consider that from a European perspective the LRIT with its wider application should be part of the European Community Vessel Traffic Monitoring and Information System (VTMIS).

The collection and exchange of information in the VTMIS could be supported by the maritime information and exchange system, SafeSeaNet (SSN).

5. The association of non-EU States with an EU LRIT centre

In line with the policy to achieve a better co-operation with EU neighbouring States and taking into account the expected mutual benefit such co-operation would provide to all parties, consideration should be given to a wider association with the EU LRIT centre for States with a sea border to the Community.

6. Establishment of an EU LRIT data centre

When coordinating their views for MSC 81, Member States and the Commission services supported in principle the idea of establishing an EU LRIT data centre. However, it was decided that further studies were necessary before a final decision could be taken.

The Commission services asked the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) to undertake a study and to provide, in particular, answers to the following questions:

· Is it feasible to create a European LRIT data centre as part of the SafeSeaNet concept?

· What is the estimated cost for establishing the system? and

· Which is the estimated yearly cost to maintain the system operational?

Because the study is partly confidential based on commercial information from two companies providing satellite tracking services of ships, the study cannot be widely distributed, but the answers to the 3 questions can be summarised as follows:

· Yes, it is feasible to create a European LRIT data centre as part of the SafeSeaNet concept, but due to the time constraints, full support from the Member States and the Commission is essential.

· The initial set-up cost for equipment, data integration, licences, soft-ware development and server hosting is estimated to be 1,200 000 €. This cost will be the same regardless of the number of Member States and ships that will use the LRIT system.

· The yearly cost for operating the system is divided into two parts, airtime and maintenance. The airtime, which includes the cost for ships to transmit their LRIT information is 3,500 000 € and the cost for maintenance, which includes the day to day operations of the LRIT data centre function is 500 000 €.

· If each Member State would choose to establish its own LRIT data centre the cost for each centre is still expected to be around 1,200 000€. The same assumption can be made for the airtime cost. The satellite service providers will increase their fee if they have to work through a number of smaller contracts. The result will be a reduction in cost for the EU LRIT centre.

The Commission services are of the opinion that the EMSA study should, when appropriate, be followed by consideration of an implementation project within the EMSA SafeSeaNet Working Group.

7. Technical standards

At MSC 81 an IMO engineering working group was set up to preparing the technical standards that are necessary. This group met twice with the participation of a number of Member States and EMSA. The report from the group will be submitted to MSC 82 (doc MSC 82/8/1, under preparation). During the discussions within the working group an issue that does not fall within the working group’s Terms of Reference arose, which needs to be urgently addressed at MSC 82. In particular, there is a need to develop a set of documents which should be used as guidance by those Contracting Governments that intend to set up a national or regional LRIT data centre.

8. Community interest

As already demonstrated through the Submission by Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Malta, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the European Commission (MSC/ISWG/LRIT 1/3/2) the Community should further act in a co-ordinated manner with regard the development of the LRIT system.

The Commission services firmly believes that the most effective and above all economic way to implement the LRIT system from both the ship and land perspective is the implementation of an EU LRIT data centre, through which the Member States would keep full control and responsibility for the information distributed by the system in compliance with Data Distribution Plan.

The centre, as a component of the SafeSeaNet system, would, if authorized, be able to provide the background information for a co-ordinated surface image comprising AIS, LRIT related to port, hazmat, security and waste notifications. This is in line with the purpose of Directive 2002/59/EC, as laid down in its Article 1:

“The purpose of this Directive is to establish in the Community a vessel traffic monitoring and information system with a view to enhancing the safety and efficiency of maritime traffic, improving the response of authorities to incidents, accidents or potentially dangerous situations at sea, including search and rescue operations, and contributing to a better prevention and detection of pollution by ships.”

9. Action requested

Without any prejudice to a decision on the inclusion of the LRIT within Directive 2002/59/EC nor to any decision related to the implementation of the LRIT SOLAS provisions at Community or Member State level, Member States are urgently requested to agree on the submission by the 25 Member States and the Commission to IMO MSC 82 aimed at initiating appropriate actions with regard to the implementation of the SOLAS LRIT provisions.

ANNEX

(...PICT...)

INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANIZATION | | E |

MARITIME SAFETY COMMITTEE. 82nd session Agenda item 8- | MSC82/../.. -- September 2006 Original: ENGLISH |

RADiOCOMMUNICATIONS AND SEARChAND RESCUE

Follow-up of the intersessional meetings of the Working Group on Engineering Aspects of LRIT - Recent developments and possibility to establish a European LRIT data centre.

Submitted by Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden, United Kingdom and by [Bulgaria], [Romania], [Norway], […], as well as by the European Commission

SUMMARY

Executive summary : | This document highlights the possibility of the establishment of a Regional LRIT data centre associating the IMO Contracting Governments that are also Member States of the European Community. It also provides comments and a proposal for the development of a set of implementation guidelines in the form of detailed interface specifications to be used by Contracting Governments when implementing National and Regional LRIT Data Centres. |

Action to be taken: | Paragraph 11 |

Related documents: | MSC 82/8, MSC 82/8/1 and COMSAR 10/16. Resolution MSC. 202(81), Resolution MSC. 211(81) paragraph 10 and Resolution MSC. 210(81) |

1 This document is submitted in accordance with the provision of paragraph 4.10.5 of the Guidelines on the organization and method of work of the Maritime Safety Committee and the Marine Environment Protection Committee and their subsidiary bodies, as amended (MSC/Circ.1099-MEPC/Circ.405) and comments on document MSC 82/8/1 (ICFTU) on the effective implementation of SOLAS chapter XI-2 and the ISPS Code.

Background

2. The IMO Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) at its 81st session unanimously adopted amendments to SOLAS to make LRIT mandatory for passenger ships, cargo ships of 300 GT and upwards and mobile offshore drilling units. The requirements will be included in Chapter V of SOLAS as Regulation 19-1. Performance standards are set out in Resolution MSC.210 (81) and arrangements for the timely establishment of the LRIT system is given in Resolution MSC. 211 (81).

The IMO Contracting Governments agreed that LRIT Data Centres, other than the International LRIT Data Centre, should be in a position to start the integration of ships into the system as soon as possible after 1 July 2008, but not later than 1 October 2008. In order to achieve this, the Contracting Governments to SOLAS shall, in accordance with resolution MSC.211, have the data distribution plan for ships flying their flag ready by the 1 January 2008.

Implementation of the LRIT SOLAS requirements

3. Contracting Governments are also invited to inform MSC 82 in November this year on progress on implementing the LRIT system.

The LRIT system initially put forward as a system for ship and port security has been adopted as an identification and tracking system for several purposes. The inclusion of the system in chapter V of SOLAS sends a clear message that the system shall also be used for safety in general, including SAR, and environmental protection. This is a development similar to the AIS that initially was a ship to ship anti-collision system.

4. Having regarded its wider application the European Commission and the EU Member States are investigating the possibility and merits of integrating the LRIT system within the European Community Vessel Traffic Monitoring system and Information System (VTMIS). This VTMIS is the subject of EU Directive 2002/59/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a Community vessel traffic monitoring and information system. [6]

The collection and exchange of information in the VTMIS could be done through the framework of the maritime information and exchange system, SafeSeaNet (SSN). The European Commission and the EU Member States are looking into the possibility to integrate the functions of a LRIT data centre into SafeSeaNet. The LRIT data centre could therefore be used by all ships flying the flag of a Member State of the European Community.

5. To further strengthen the co-operation with EU neighbouring States the possibility whereby the European LRIT data centre could offer its services to States with a sea border to the European Community might be considered, if those States express an interest thereto.

Follow-up of the intersessional meetings of the Working Group on Engineering Aspects of LRIT

6. Since MSC 81 an ad hoc Working Group on the Engineering Aspects of LRIT has been active preparing the technical standards that are necessary.

7. The Working Group was tasked to develop and submit to MSC 82 for approval:

.1 technical specifications for the International LRIT Data Exchange;

.2 technical specifications for the International LRIT Data Centre;

.3 technical specifications for communications within the LRIT System network (i.e. between the LRIT Data Centres and International LRIT Data Exchange and with the LRIT Data Distribution Plan); and

.4 protocols for the development testing of the LRIT System and for testing the integration into the system of new LRIT Data Centres.

The Group should also develop any related guidance which would assist the Organization in setting up and maintaining the LRIT Data Distribution Plan.

8. The report from the working group (MSC82/8/1) identified an issue that does not fall within its Terms of Reference. The need to urgently address this at MSC 82 emerged. Participants were consequently invited to submit a proposal to MSC 82 requesting the consideration of the urgent development of a set of implementation guidelines.

The Working Group, in particular, underlined the interest of having a specific set of additional implementation guidelines in the form of detailed interface specifications to be used by Contracting Governments when implementing National and Regional LRIT Data Centres.

9. The purpose of such guidelines is to provide the Contracting Governments with guidance to support their development and implementation of the LRIT system.

10. The co-sponsors of this document propose that this guidance should at least cover the LRIT messaging, the LRIT network and Security and the Xml format definition including the Xml schema. A possible framework is proposed in Annex I.

The full set of guidance should be developed and maintained by the oversight body under the responsibility of the IMO. Once the guidance has been approved by the IMO, it should be available on request to all Contracting Governments planning to associate with an LRIT Data Centre other than the International LRIT Data Centre.

A periodic review of the guidance should be performed by the oversight body with appropriate assistance requested through the IMO in order to update the system.

Action requested of the Committee

11. The Committee is invited to note the information provided in paragraph 4 and to consider the proposal to develop a set of implementation guidelines to be used by Contracting Governments when implementing National and Regional LRIT Data Centres. To this end COMSAR 11 could be requested to prepare a draft MSC circular based on Annex 1 for adoption at MSC 83.

ANNEX 1

LIST OF DELIVERABLES FOR THE LRIT SYSTEM

1- LRIT

This document shall help to understand the LRIT system implemented to enable the exchange of information between the Contracting Governments.

Structure of the document

Document overview:

LRIT system overview

· Data encoding

· Global architecture

· Network requirements

· Security requirements

LRIT Functional services

· overview

· Definition of actors

· Definition of messages

LRIT Xml messages

· overview

· Convention

· Xml structure and Schema Definition

· Validation of the Xml messages

· Status codes and messages

LRIT request

· Overview

· Definition

LRIT response

· Overview

· Définition

LRIT Receipt

· Overview

2- LRIT Network and Security Reference guide

This document shall provide a comprehensive description on the Network and Security features implemented in the LRIT system.

Structure of the document

Overview

Introduction to the LRIT Network service

· General description

Communication protocol strategy

· Overview

· Specific protocols

· Introduction to SOAP

LRIT Security requirements

· Introduction

· Point to Point Data Security strategy

· Virtual private Network

· Digital certificate

LRIT Users, roles and Access rights

Using HTTPS

· Overview

3 – LRIT Test Plan

The Test Plan document shall provide to the Contracting Governments guidance for ensuring the compliance of their LRIT application with the system requirements. The document shall support the following objectives:

1. Identify the functional and non-functional requirements as targets for testing

2. Recommend and describe the testing strategies to be employed

3. Identify the required resources

4. Recommend and describe the test organization

5. Provide an approach to test and bug reporting

6. Present a list of test scenarios to execute

Structure of the document

Introduction

Requirements for Test

· Overview

· Functional requirements

Test Strategy

· Overview

· Test tools

Test organization

· Overview

· Resources and steps

· Test execution

· Test reporting

Tests scenarios

· Overview

· Request

· Receipt

· Response

· System Status

[1] Distributed by the Council Secretariat as document 8594/05 MAR 64.

[2] Distributed by the Council Secretariat as document 11737/05 MAR123.

[3] Council Secretariat document Shipping W.DOC 2005/49.

[4] Council Secretariat document Shipping W.DOC 2006/70 and positions adopted on the spot during MSC 81.

[5] See recital 18 of the proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2002/59/EC establishing a Community vessel traffic monitoring and information system (Doc COM (2005) 589 final of 23/11/2005.

[6] Published in the Official Journal of the European Communities L 208, p./10 of 5.8.2002 and can be retrieved from the European Commission’s website: http://ec.europa.eu/transport/maritime/safety/2000_erika_en.htm

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