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Submitted by Portugal
SUMMARY
Executive summary: Portugal submits, for consideration and approval, a proposal to
implement a mandatory ship reporting system in the maritime
geographic zone Off the Coast of Portugal COPREP
Strategic direction: 5.1; 5.2
High-level action: 5.1.3; 5.2.4
Planned output: 5.2.4.1
Action to be taken: Paragraph 16
Related documents: MSC.190(79), NAV 50/3/8, NAV 50/3/9; MSC 79/23/Add.2/Annex 28
and Annex 29; and resolution A.851(20)
Introduction
1 In December 2004, the Maritime Safety Committee in its seventy-ninth session approved
amendments to the traffic separation schemes off Portugal (MSC 79/23/Add.2/Annex 28 and
Annex 29), in order to ensure the smooth flow of traffic, aligning the traffic lanes with those of
the TSS Off Finisterre. Furthermore, the TSS Off Berlenga was revoked because it was
then considered as unnecessary; nevertheless, an Area to be Avoided was created, having the
same limits of the previously existing Inshore Traffic Zone, thus contributing to protect the
greatly sensitive environment around the Berlenga Island.
2 The Portuguese Government wishes to express its concern with the safety of navigation
as maritime traffic flow along the Portuguese coast and the number of vessels calling Portuguese
ports has continuously increased in the last years.
The following table, which reflects only the maritime traffic that called Portuguese ports, is
hereby included in support of the above statement:
For reasons of economy, this document is printed in a limited number. Delegates are
kindly asked to bring their copies to meetings and not to request additional copies.
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3 Weather conditions in the area are also a concern in matters of safety of navigation.
As shown in annex 2 (tables 1 to 4), visibility often degrades and may have values of less
than 2 nautical miles for significant periods of time, especially during summer time.
Systematic collection of data shows that strong winds often occur along the Portuguese coast
(see annex 2 table 5), which also has an impact on sea and swell values as well (see annex 2
figures 1 to 3).
4 The TSSs off Portugal lie within the Western European Particularly Sensitive Sea Area,
where special measures covered in Annex 1 to MARPOL 71/78 apply, as recognized in
resolution MSC.190(79).
Background
6 As from 2nd January, 2008, a Vessel Traffic Service has been established covering the
Portuguese Iberian coast, including the major ports, with the purpose of contributing to safety of
navigation, environmental protection and traffic management improvement.
7 The new Portuguese Traffic Control Service assure the necessary functionalities of
coastal traffic monitoring allowing a complete articulation with Port VTS in all Portuguese
continental commercial ports.
8 With this system Portugal starts to operate an integrated system for maritime coastal
monitoring, essential in the Portuguese and European socio-economic context. This system
means a big qualitative improvement in the adequacy of maritime infrastructures to the
Portuguese and European necessities and it is essential part for the security and modal balance
defined by the communitarian directives of transports.
9 The adequate and effective monitoring of the maritime activity in the Portuguese
continental coast waters is assumed as an essential element for the Portuguese and European
economy, presenting a significant set of political and social impacts based on its historical
importance in the countrys development:
the protection of the coast and environment quality is essential for tourism sector,
strategic in economic and social terms for Portugal;
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10 The Portuguese VTS is equipped with a range of sensors such as radar, AIS and VHF
direction finding systems, weather monitoring stations, as well as a full and redundant radio
communication capability, all linked in a robust network, which together with the previously
existing DGPS, fully operational since December 2003, enable ship monitoring and safety of
navigation assistance, aiding the prevention of ship casualties while enabling robust position
fixing.
Action to be taken
11 For these reasons, Portugal proposes the implementation of an area with a mandatory
Ship Reporting System covering the well documented navigational choke points in its coast,
TSSs and ATBA, to further enhance safety of navigation and protect the marine environment
along Portuguese waters, in any traffic or weather conditions, taking full advantage of the
Portuguese VTS capabilities.
12 The mandatory Ship Reporting System, covering the existing areas of the traffic
separation schemes (TSS) and the area to be avoided (ATBA) around Berlenga Island, create
single points of reporting which contribute to minimize vessels reporting procedures and the
allied operation of ports and other related entities.
13 In view of existing adjacent Ship Reporting Systems (FINREP and GIBREP), long
established, in which the nature of the collected data meets the objectives of the now proposed
Portuguese system, this proposal intends to give a sense of continuity to mariners, maintaining
the same categories of ships required to participate in the system, as well as the nature of the
reports required.
14 The areas of the proposed Ship Reporting Systems are covered by Portuguese official
paper charts of adequate scale for coastal navigation (1/150000) and by Electronic Navigational
Charts (S/57 edition 3), which are based on recent hydrographic surveys conducted in
accordance with the International Hydrographic Organization rules and procedures.
.2 submit it to the Maritime Safety Committee for adoption, and to enter into force
six months later.
***
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ANNEX 1
RECALLING ALSO regulation V/11 of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at
Sea, 1974 (SOLAS Convention), in relation to the adoption of ship reporting systems by the
Organization,
RECALLING FURTHER resolution A.858(20) resolving that the function of adopting ship
reporting systems shall be performed by the Committee on behalf of the Organization,
TAKING INTO ACCOUNT the guidelines and criteria for ship reporting systems adopted by
resolution MSC.43(64), as amended by resolutions MSC.111(73) and MSC.189(79),
1. ADOPTS, in accordance with SOLAS regulation V/11, the new mandatory ship reporting
system Off the coast of Portugal COPREP;
2. DECIDES that the mandatory ship reporting system, COPREP, will enter into force
at [0000] hours UTC on [. 2009]; and
3. REQUESTS the Secretary-General to bring this resolution and its Annex to the attention
of the Member Governments and SOLAS Contracting Governments to the 1974 SOLAS
Convention.
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ANNEX 1
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ANNEX
1 Objectives
Portugal has recently implemented a Maritime Traffic Control System (VTS) covering
the entire Portuguese continental coast based on a modern information system,
monitoring and management of the maritime traffic in Portugal.
The establishment of a mandatory ship reporting system in the maritime geographic zone
covering the existing area to be avoided (ATBA) around Berlenga Island, and the existing
traffic separation schemes (TSS) Off Cape Roca and Off Cape S. Vicente,
provides an important protection to the safety of navigation as maritime traffic flow along
the Portuguese coast and the number of vessels practicing Portuguese ports has
continuously increased in the last years.
Communication between shore-based authorities and ships in this area will minimize the
risk of collision damage to ships as well as provide beneficial information to ships.
(b) all vessels carrying dangerous, hazardous and/or potentially polluting cargo;
(d) vessels engaged in towing or pushing where the combined length of the vessel and
tow or pushed vessel is more than 100 m LOA;
(f) any other type of vessel is invited to voluntarily participate in the System.
As shown in annex 2 (tables 1 to 4), visibility often degrades and may have values of less
than 2 nautical miles for significant periods of time, especially during summer time.
Systematic collection of data shows that strong winds often occur along the Portuguese
coast (see annex 2 table 5), which also has an impact on sea and swell values as well
(see annex 2 figures 1 to 3).
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4 Geographical coverage of the proposed systems and the number and edition of the
reference chart used for delineation of the system
i) 39 45 N
010 14 W
ii) 38 41 N
01014 W
iii) 36 30 N
009 35 W
iv) 36 15 N
008 30 W
5 Reports and Procedures (Format and content of reports, authority to which reports
should be sent)
5.1 Format
The format of information required in the COPREP reports is derived from the format
given in resolution A.851(20) General Principles for Ship Reporting Systems and
Reporting Requirements.
5.2 Content
Vessels required to participate in the System shall make a report, with the short title
COPREP, to Roca Control and shall contain the following information, which is
considered essential for the purpose of the System:
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Any vessel may elect, for reasons of commercial confidentiality, to communicate the
information regarding cargo (designator P of the report), by non-verbal means prior to
entering the System.
(b) immediately after leaving a port, terminal or anchorage situated in the reporting
area; or
(c) when deviating from the route leading to the originally declared destination, port,
terminal, anchorage or position for orders given on entry into the reporting area;
or
(d) when it is necessary to deviate from the planned route owing to weather
conditions, damaged equipment or a change in navigational status; or
(e) when it is detected something that could affect safety of navigation in the area; or
The shore-based authority for COPREP mandatory ship reporting system, to which these
reports should be sent, is ROCA CONTROL (identified in paragraph 7).
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(b) hampered vessels such as vessels not under command or vessels restricted in their
ability to manoeuvre;
The VTS centre is linked to MRCC LISBON and pollution control authorities in order to
allow a prompt response to any emerging distress or urgent situation.
(a) The call to the shore-based authority shall be made on the VHF channel assigned
to Vessel Traffic Service in the Portuguese Coast, or by the other available means
based on the following contact information:
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(b) The language used for communication shall be Portuguese or English, using the
IMO Standard Marine Communications Phrases where necessary.
ROCA CONTROL maintains a continuous 24 hour watch over COPREP area. The
facilities of the Roca Control are the following:
(v) Video from selected radar and combined radar data available to main
centres VTS operator;
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(iii) Video from selected radar and combined radar data available to main
centres VTS operator;
IMO standards
(iii) AIS position data merged with radar data at operator display (TDS)
(i) VHF voice radio communication with ships and aeronautical emergency
channel
(iii) VTS operators are able to communicate within the coverage area
(iii) Data from all sites available for the VTS operators
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(ii) Meteorological data of all sites will be presented to the VTS operators.
The training given to ROCA CONTROL staff complies with the national and
international recommendations and include a general study of navigational safety
measures and the relevant national and international (IMO) provisions/requirements to
support the operation of the proposed system.
The most important items of equipment and power sources are duplicated and the
facilities are provided with emergency generating sets as well as with Uninterruptible
Power Supply (UPS) units. A maintenance team is available 24 hours a day to attend to
any breakdown.
The system is also designed in such a manner that if one station fails, the adjacent station
can provide the necessary coverage.
11 Actions to take in the event of emergency or ships non-compliance with the system
requirements
The main objectives of the system are to improve vessel safety in of the Portuguese coast
waters, support the organization of search and rescue and protect and improve the marine
environment in the coast, developing the actions as fast and effective as possible if an
emergency is reported or a report from a ship fails to appear, and it is impossible to
establish communication with the ship. All means will be used to obtain the full
participation of ships required to submit reports.
The mandatory ship reporting system COPREP is for the exchange of information only
and does not provide any additional authority for mandating changes in the vessels
operations. This reporting system will be implemented consistent with UNCLOS, SOLAS
and other relevant international instruments so that the reporting system will not
constitute a basis for preventing the passage of a ship through the reporting area.
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CHARTLET
***
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ANNEX 2
Local Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Cape Carvoeiro 0,00 1,18 1,51 0,44 0,43 1,56 3,87 2,16 5,57 0,86 0,67 0,43 1,55
Cape da Roca 1,29 3,07 2,58 1,33 1,94 4,89 6,67 3,88 4,22 2,15 1,56 1,72 2,94
Cape S. Vicente 0,00 0,76 0,46 0,00 0,46 0,71 1,62 1,86 1,90 0,92 0,00 0,00 0,72
TABLE 1 Frequency of occurrences of visibility less than 2 nautical miles (%) at 00 UTC
Local Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Cape Carvoeiro 1,51 2,83 2,15 2,44 3,23 8,67 14,62 13,55 19,11 6,02 3,11 1,08 6,54
Cape da Roca 5,16 8,96 10,54 8,44 11,83 22,44 28,02 18,06 22,32 9,54 7,78 6,24 13,29
Cape S. Vicente 1,15 2,27 3,23 1,90 1,85 7,66 9,81 9,74 8,81 2,53 2,38 3,00 4,53
TABLE 2 Frequency of occurrences of visibility less than 2 nautical miles (%) at 09 UTC
Local Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Cape Carvoeiro 0,65 2,12 1,51 1,56 2,59 5,78 8,39 6,47 9,13 2,15 1,33 0,65 3,53
Cape da Roca 4,52 8,25 8,39 6,22 7,10 14,00 17,63 12,28 16,00 6,24 6,00 8,39 9,58
Cape S. Vicente 0,69 1,52 1,38 1,19 2,31 3,81 3,70 4,18 3,81 2,30 0,71 0,69 2,19
TABLE 3 Frequency of occurrences of visibility less than 2 nautical miles (%) at 12 UTC
Local Period Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
ATBA
1961-90 0,9 1,3 1,2 1,3 1,9 3,3 5,1 6,3 8,1 3,6 0,8 0,8 34,6
Berlenga
Cape Roca 1961-90 3,2 3,1 3,2 2,5 3,6 6,1 8,2 7,6 7,4 4,7 1,7 2,5 53,8
TABLE 4 Average number of days with fog
Aver
Local N NE E SE S SW W NW Calm
speed
- F S F S F S F S F S F S F S F S C (km/h)
Cape
39,6 19,1 12,2 16,1 4,7 14,2 6,3 17,5 13,1 16,9 5,8 14,2 10,7 15,7 7,6 15,2 0,1 18,3
Carvoeiro
Cape
23,3 15,5 8,5 12,4 4,4 14,0 13,3 19,7 7,0 20,5 7,6 19,4 5,8 19,6 28,3 15,8 1,7 16,0
Roca
Cape S.
30,3 23,0 4,4 13,2 9,9 18,0 2,4 17,9 3,3 17,7 5,5 18,6 6,6 17,0 20,2 20,0 17,3
Vicente
TABLE 5 Wind
Frequency per quadrant (%) and average speed (km/h)
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ANNEX 2
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(1961 1990)
___________
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