Disruptions to satellite-based navigation and AIS data are endangering shipping in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. In an open letter, the coastal states draw attention to the increasing risk to maritime safety and call for action.
The coastal states of the Baltic Sea and the North Sea – namely Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden and the United Kingdom – together with Iceland have addressed an open letter to the international maritime community.
The letter is aimed in particular at flag and port states, national authorities, flag registries, classification societies, shipping companies, managers and operators, as well as seafarers. In it, the authors draw attention to the growing risks and set out demands intended to improve safety in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea.
“All ships are at risk”
The precise and uninterrupted functioning of global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) is not a technical luxury but a critical safety requirement, the letter states. GNSS signals not only support the navigation of ships but also provide precise time synchronisation, which is of central importance for systems such as the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS). Disruptions to these signals pose a risk to the safety and reliability of maritime traffic.
The coastal states are currently facing new safety-relevant situations arising from increasing GNSS disruptions in European waters, particularly in the Baltic Sea region. These disruptions, which originate in the Russian Federation, are undermining the safety of international shipping. All ships are at risk.
According to the authors, the integrity of the Automatic Identification System (AIS) is equally important. AIS plays a central role in traffic coordination, improves situational awareness and supports emergency response. The spoofing or falsification of AIS data undermines maritime safety and security, increases the risk of accidents and significantly hampers rescue operations.
The coastal states, together with Iceland, therefore call on the international maritime community and national authorities to
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recognise GNSS disruptions and AIS manipulation as threats to maritime safety and security.
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ensure that ships are equipped with appropriate capabilities and properly trained crews, as required by international conventions, in order to operate safely even in the event of failures of navigation systems.
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cooperate in the development of alternative terrestrial radio navigation systems that can be used in place of GNSS in the event of disruptions, signal loss or interference.
In order to maintain and strengthen maritime safety in the Baltic Sea and North Sea region, the authors of the open letter demand that all ships exercising the freedom of navigation strictly comply with the applicable provisions of international law, whether under customary international law or as parties to international conventions.
These include, among others, the 1972 Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREG), the 1974 International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), as well as all other relevant conventions and resolutions of the International Maritime Organization containing the generally accepted international rules and standards referred to in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The coastal countries wish to draw particular attention to the following points and call for them:
- Ships may only sail under the flag of one state. Ships sailing under the flags of two or more states and using them as appropriate may be treated as stateless ships in accordance with Article 92 UNCLOS.
- Ships must have valid documents and certificates in accordance with the above IMO Conventions, including but not limited to insurance or other financial security in accordance with the provisions of Article VII of the 1992 CLC and Article 7 of the 2001 Bunkers Convention.
- Companies must maintain a safety management system on board the ships they operate in accordance with SOLAS Chapter IX (ISM Code).
- Flag states must take all necessary measures to ensure that ships flying their flag only go to sea if they comply with international rules and standards. This includes inspections to maintain the condition of ships following surveys in accordance with UNCLOS Articles 94 and 217 and SOLAS Regulation I/11. Such measures include prohibiting ships from leaving port if they do not meet the above requirements.
- Ships must comply with the relevant requirements of the STCW Convention, SOLAS Regulation V/14 and Regulation 5 of the Collision Prevention Regulations (COLREG) regarding bridge watch and lookout while underway.
- Ships must keep AIS and LRIT equipment in continuous operation in accordance with SOLAS V/19.2.4.7, Resolution A.1106(29) and SOLAS V/19-1.5.
- Ships must transmit ship identification information and all other required information in accordance with SOLAS V/11.7 when entering an area covered by a ship reporting system.
- Ships shall maintain clear communication with the competent maritime authorities, including through ship reporting systems and traffic separation services (VTS) in accordance with SOLAS V/11.7 and SOLAS V/12.4.
- Ships must comply with local navigation restrictions and all IMO adopted mandatory shipping routes in accordance with SOLAS Chapter V Regulation 10.7. Other routing measures adopted by the IMO and areas to be avoided identified within the IMO and HELCOM structures must be taken into account accordingly for safe navigation.
- Ships must report incidents involving discharges of oil or other harmful substances in accordance with international and national regulations (MARPOL Article 8 and Protocol I, OPRC Convention 1990 Article 4, HNS Protocol 2000 Article 3).
- Ships must carry on board emergency plans for oil and marine pollution as required by MARPOL (Annex I Regulation 37, Annex II Regulation 17).
- Ships must have flag-approved plans for ship-to-ship operations in accordance with MARPOL Annex I Regulation 41.
- Ships must not carry out ship-to-ship transfers without sufficient and timely notification to the coastal state in whose exclusive economic zone the transfer is to take place (MARPOL Annex I Regulation 42).
