Why LRIT?
Long-Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT) - The new regulation on LRIT is included in SOLAS chapter V on Safety of Navigation, through which LRIT will be introduced as a mandatory requirement for the following ships on international voyages: passenger ships, including high-speed craft; cargo ships, including high-speed craft, of 300 gross tonnage and upwards; and mobile offshore drilling units

LRIT is designed to ensure that ships provide daily position reports, at a basic rate of every 6 hours (i.e. 4 times a day). Contracting Governments are entitled to receive LRIT data from vessels up to 1000 nm from their coasts.

What is LRIT?
From the concept a detailed system specification was created outlining all aspects of the system. It clearly defines a flow of data from the ship (which must provide a regular ship position report) via a communications service provider to a National or Regional Data Centre, which acts on behalf of the Flag State to which the ship is registered. The Data Centre is the repository of all of the Flag’s LRIT information e.g. ship positional data, and is connected to the wider International LRIT system via the International Data Exchange (IDE) using a specific LRIT communications protocol.

Who is affected by LRIT?
The LRIT regulation will apply to the following ship types engaged on international voyages:
- All passenger ships including high speed craft
- Cargo ships, including high speed craft of 300 gross tonnage and above
- Mobile offshore drilling units

There is an exemption for ships which operate entirely within coastal Sea Area A1 and are fitted with an Automatic Identification System. While ships operating in near-coastal Sea Area A2 not fitted with Inmarsat C GMDSS will be required to fit a compliant terminal, ships operating in polar Sea Area A4 above 70 degrees latitude will require a non-Inmarsat terminal that operates in conjunction with a low-earth orbit Communication Service Provider (CSP) approved by the Flag in conjunction with its appointed Application Service Provider (ASP).

Any vessel that is required to transmit LRIT data must be able to do so by 31 December 2008 or by the first radio survey after this date.
For ships operating in Sea Area A4, the regulation states that this should be no later than the first radio survey after 1 July 2009.

The terminal must be capable of being configured to transmit the following minimum information set in an Automatic Position Report (APR):
The ship-borne equipment id
The GNSS position (latitude and longitude) of the ship (based on the WGS 84 datum)
The date and time associated with the GNSS position.

In addition, the terminal must be able to respond to polling for an on-demand position report and be able immediately to respond to instructions to modify the automatic position report interval to a frequency of a maximum of one every 15 minutes. APR's will be transmitted as a minimum 4 times per day to a National Data Centre (NDC), a Cooperative Data Centre (CDC), or a Regional Data Centre (RDC) nominated by the Flag.

What system or equipmetn is capable for LRIT?
Inmarsat C, which includes mini-C, will be the primary system used for LRIT as it is a reliable, proven system and the majority of ships required to comply with the regulation are already fitted with LRIT compatible Inmarsat C GMDSS or mini-C equipment.
The ship operators must either confirm with their flag state authorised ASP for their onboard Inmarsat-C or mini-C equipmetn whether they are capable for LRIT, or if not, fit a new equipment which accepted by the ASP for LRIT capable.
At the end, all equipmetn need to pass the Performance Test by ASP, and a Certificate shall be issued either by ASP or the flag state.


The List of major ASPs appointed by Flag States


For more information about LRIT facts for ship owners, please contact us at
Tel: +65 6476 6057, or singapore@satlink.com.cy or sales@amimaritime.com