New UK NAVTEX/SafetyNet Messaging System

ICS Electronics Ltd. are very pleased to announce that they have just delivered a new MSI (Maritime Safety Information) messaging system to BT.

The new UK system has initially been installed at Stonehaven Radio near Aberdeen and is currently undergoing trials.

The system will fully automate all the UK NAVTEX message transmissions sent via the existing radio transmitters at Niton Radio, Cullercoats Radio and Portpatrick Radio. The same system will also generate INMARSAT C SafetyNET messages to be transmitted via British Telecom’s satellite earth station at Goonhilly in Cornwall, UK.

Early next year the responsibility for transmitting the UK MSI information will be transferred from BT to HM Coastguard, now part of the UK Marine and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and the system will then be transferred from Stonehaven to the Coastguard MRCC at Falmouth. BT will continue to provide transmitter facilities.

The system supplied is similar to NAVTEX systems already delivered by ICS to the Taiwan authorities and the Royal Netherlands Navy in the Dutch Antilles. It is based upon dual, main/standby computers working under Windows NT. The system is particularly easy for operators to use and message serial numbers are automatically generated. The transmission of routine NAVTEX at four hour intervals is fully automatic and requires no human intervention.

ICS have also supplied the GMDSS DSC infrastructure for HM Coastguard and are a major manufacturer of NAVTEX receivers. ICS NAVTEX receivers are in use by approximately 25% of the world’s ships and by many smaller vessels.