The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) published the Radio Regulations Table of Frequency Allocations Software as well as the Maritime Manual, which provides details on the modern maritime radio systems and the operational procedures to be followed by a ship or coast station in the event of a distress situation at sea.
"We are delighted to avail the Maritime Manual and the Table of Frequency Allocations Software to our membership, which are the result of the hard-won agreements reached at the 2019 World Radiocommunication Conference," said ITU Secretary-General Houlin Zhao.
Mario Maniewicz, Director of the ITU Radiocommunication Bureau said: "Having a reliable means of communications plays a key role in the safety of maritime traffic. With the updated Maritime Manual, countries have the opportunity to explore and leverage emerging innovative technologies in maritime communication to enhance safety and security at sea." He added: "The Table of Frequency Allocations Software is an important tool to help ITU members promote the efficient and effective management of the scarce radiofrequency spectrum."
Maritime Manual
The two-volume manual provides the maritime community and telecom regulators with a description of the radiocommunication technologies, frequencies and procedures used in the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS)– the internationally agreed set of safety procedures, frequencies, types of equipment, and communication protocols, developed through cooperation between ITU and the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
The publication of the Maritime Manual follows the September release of the 2020 edition of the ITU Radio Regulations: the international treaty governing the global use of the radiofrequency spectrum and satellite orbits.
The Maritime Manual is published in accordance with Article 20 of the Radio Regulations and is the result of extensive work carried out in the Radiocommunication Bureau. Volume 1 provides a comprehensive overview of the maritime radio technologies, describes the organization and operation of the GMDSS and other maritime operational procedures, while Volume 2 compiles the relevant ITU regulatory, technical, and operational texts related to maritime communications.
According to Appendix 16 of the Radio Regulations, the Maritime Manual is required to be carried by all ships in either print or electronic format.
Radio Regulations Table of Frequency Allocations Software
ITU also released an updated version of the Radio Regulations Table of Frequency Allocations Software.
Designed and developed by ITU, the software is a stand-alone application that provides users with a mechanism to electronically use, query and analyse the Table of Frequency Allocations and its associated footnotes, as they appear in Article 5 of the Radio Regulations, as well as other related texts including World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC) Resolutions, and ITU Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) Recommendations and Rules of Procedure.
The Radio Regulations Table of Frequency Allocations (TFA) Software enables the extraction from the TFA of regional or country-specific regulations for the presentation of Regional or National Tables of Frequency Allocations, respectively. Its use is limited to the scope and boundaries of Article 5 of the Radio Regulations.
The application is designed to run on any individual personal computer and does not require network nor Internet connection to operate efficiently.
ITU is constantly updating and enhancing the software after the release of the new edition of the Radio Regulations following each WRC. The coming years feature a plan to link the software to the Terrestrial and Space International Frequency Information Circulars (BR IFICs), which would allow cross-checking with the content of the Master International Frequency Register (MIFR).
The Maritime Manual and the Table of Frequency Allocations Software are both available for sale.