EMSA’s Maritime Support Services (MSS)
EMSA’s Maritime Support Services (MSS)
Telephone
+351 211 209 415
Fax
+351 211 209 480
Email
MaritimeSupportServices@emsa.europa.eu
2.06 LRIT
Agency responsible
Data group
02. Vessel Positions
Coast Guard Functions with access
Maritime Safety Including Vessel Traffic Management
Status of implementation
Available
Dissemination channels
Agency web interface
Point(s) of contact
Last reviewed on
Last saved on
Description
Vessel position information automatically transmitted by as shipborne equipment via satellite communication networks.
Data elements
- Positional data - The Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) position (latitude and longitude) of the ship (based on the WGS 84 datum).
- Time Stamp - The date and time (UTC) associated with the GNSS position.
- Ship identity - IMO identification number, ship name and the MMSI number of the ship.
- Ship flag - flag of the ship
- Ship Type - Code of the type of ship transmitting the LRIT information (ship types codes to be used in the LRIT system are defined in paragraph 1.2.3.3 to the annex of MSC.1/Circ.1259/Rev.7).
- Speed and Heading - ships flying the flags of EU LRIT CDC Participating Countries and fitted with Inmarsat C terminals (96.5% of the EU LRIT CDC terminals) also provide information on speed and heading when transmitting LRIT information.
Legal basis
Resolution MSC.202(81), adopted on 19 May 2006, amends the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, as amended, by including Regulation 19-1 Long-range identification and tracking of ships.
Scope and source of data
The following ship types engaged on international voyages must report automatically LRIT mandatory positions, every 6 hours, worldwide:
- Passenger ships including high-speed craft;
- Cargo ships, including high-speed craft, of 300GT and upwards; and
- Mobile offshore drilling units (MODU).
Ships fitted with an automatic AIS and operated exclusively within sea area A1 are not required to comply with LRIT regulation.
It is possible to increase the reporting up to intervals of 15 minutes.
Ships report these LRIT positions to a specific LRIT Data Centre (LRIT DC). It is possible to exchange LRIT positions between LRIT DCs via the LRIT International Data Exchange (LRIT IDE).
Technical implementation
A ship in transit sends a position report via its shipborne equipment (different equipment from that used for AIS, which uses VHF communications systems). The message, which includes the shipborne equipment identifier, positional data latitude and longitude, and the date and time of the transmission, is received by a telecommunications satellite. The communication networks used for LRIT are Iridium and Inmarsat (C and M2M). The satellites are operated by a Communication Service Provider (CSP), which provides the communication infrastructure and services to link the various parts of the LRIT system, using communications protocols in order to ensure the end-to-end secure transfer of the LRIT information. The data is then transmitted to the Application Service Provider (ASP).
The ASP completes the LRIT information of the vessel by adding the ship identity (IMO identification number and the MMSI number for the ship), the ship type, as well as the date and time the position report is received and forwarded by the ASP. The new extended message generated by the ASP is then passed to an LRIT Data Centre, which completes the ship identification by adding the ship name. The ASP also ensures that the LRIT information is routed in a reliable and secure manner.
In the particular case of the EU LRIT CDC, speed and heading is also added by the ASP for ships fitted with Inmarsat C terminals (96.5% of the EU LRIT CDC terminals)
The EU LRIT CDC includes several Participating Countries which are non-EU (Montenegro, Georgia and Tunisia, as on 01-2020). Nevertheless, LRIT data available for EU purposes includes only position data of ships flying an EU Member State flag after its agreement has been provided. Adequate data filtering is then applied.
The EU LRIT CDC system provides different alternative mechanisms to retrieve LRIT information:
- System-to-system interface which allows exchange of data between LRIT and the national or European system;
- EU LRIT CDC User Web Interface (UWI).
Data going back as far as June 2009, when the EU LRIT Data Centre was established, is available.
Conditions of access
LRIT positions linked with a given ship belongs to the Flag this ship is flying. So, to receive LRIT positions from EU MSs ships, it is needed to request the agreement of each MS. This formality is done by EMSA, after receiving a formal request. To be noted that according to EMSA founding regulation, relevant vessel data and positioning can be provided only to competent national authorities and Union bodies.
After the agreements are received, data can be provided through a UWI or XML interface.