Ship Security Alert System for Singapore Ships
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TIN news: The Singapore Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) issued a circular reminding owners, operators, and masters of the requirement for annual testing of the Ship Security Alert System (SSAS) and advising of a change in the dedicated email address for receiving SSAS alerts from Singapore ships.
Shipowners and managers of ships that are newly registered with the Singapore Registry of Ships (SRS) from the date of this circular onwards should ensure that the SSAS of the ships are programmed with the email address Shipalert@mpa.gov.sg with effect from their date of registration with the Singapore Registry of Ships (SRS).
Shipowners and managers of existing Singapore-registered ships are required to programme the new email address Shipalert@mpa.gov.sg in the SSAS of the ships by their next annual radio survey or by 1 July 2016, whichever is earlier.
The old dedicated email address that has been in used - Shipalert_MPA@mpa.gov.sg would continue to be in use for receiving and responding to SSAS alerts and would co-exist with the new email address - Shipalert@mpa.gov.sg until 30 June 2016.
With effect from 1 July 2016, the email Shipalert_MPA@mpa.gov.sg would cease to be in use
Shipowners and managers are advised to ensure that the SSA equipment on board their ships is configured to be capable in accordance with MSC/ Circlular 1155 . This is to enable the recipient of the SSA to clearly identify the ship which transmitted the alert. The testing of the SSA equipment on their ships is to be carried out when there is a transfer of flag.
The following are guidelines on the correct procedure for testing of SSAS for Singapore-registered ships:
a) The procedures for testing the SSAS should be in accordance with MSC/Circ.1155. The frequency of SSAS alert testing involving MPA should not exceed more than once a year and should coincide with the annual safety radio survey.
b) Your attention is also drawn to IMO circular, MSC.1/Circ. 1190 (para 3 of Annex A) which provides guidance on the provision of information for identifying ships when transmitting SSAS alert messages:
Name of ship;
IMO Ship identification number;
Call Sign;
Maritime Mobile Service Identity;
Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) position (latitude and longitude) of the ship; and
Date and time of the GNSS position.
Companies and ships are to ensure that when testing the SSAS with the flag state, they should notify the flag state - not more than 2 days in advance and not less than 4 hours prior to the test - by sending a pre-test notification email to Shipalert@mpa.gov.sg. This is to enable effective tracking of notifications and to ensure that the system does not inadvertently lead to unintended emergency response actions.
In the event of a test, the SSAS alert test message should be configured to have the word "TEST" either in the message or in the subject heading. This is to ensure that the testing of the SSAS does not inadvertently lead to unintended emergency response actions. The alert message is to be configured back to the original wordings after the test is completed.
Further details may be found by reading the following circular issued by the MPA Singapore
Shipowners and managers of ships that are newly registered with the Singapore Registry of Ships (SRS) from the date of this circular onwards should ensure that the SSAS of the ships are programmed with the email address Shipalert@mpa.gov.sg with effect from their date of registration with the Singapore Registry of Ships (SRS).
Shipowners and managers of existing Singapore-registered ships are required to programme the new email address Shipalert@mpa.gov.sg in the SSAS of the ships by their next annual radio survey or by 1 July 2016, whichever is earlier.
The old dedicated email address that has been in used - Shipalert_MPA@mpa.gov.sg would continue to be in use for receiving and responding to SSAS alerts and would co-exist with the new email address - Shipalert@mpa.gov.sg until 30 June 2016.
With effect from 1 July 2016, the email Shipalert_MPA@mpa.gov.sg would cease to be in use
Shipowners and managers are advised to ensure that the SSA equipment on board their ships is configured to be capable in accordance with MSC/ Circlular 1155 . This is to enable the recipient of the SSA to clearly identify the ship which transmitted the alert. The testing of the SSA equipment on their ships is to be carried out when there is a transfer of flag.
The following are guidelines on the correct procedure for testing of SSAS for Singapore-registered ships:
a) The procedures for testing the SSAS should be in accordance with MSC/Circ.1155. The frequency of SSAS alert testing involving MPA should not exceed more than once a year and should coincide with the annual safety radio survey.
b) Your attention is also drawn to IMO circular, MSC.1/Circ. 1190 (para 3 of Annex A) which provides guidance on the provision of information for identifying ships when transmitting SSAS alert messages:
Name of ship;
IMO Ship identification number;
Call Sign;
Maritime Mobile Service Identity;
Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) position (latitude and longitude) of the ship; and
Date and time of the GNSS position.
Companies and ships are to ensure that when testing the SSAS with the flag state, they should notify the flag state - not more than 2 days in advance and not less than 4 hours prior to the test - by sending a pre-test notification email to Shipalert@mpa.gov.sg. This is to enable effective tracking of notifications and to ensure that the system does not inadvertently lead to unintended emergency response actions.
In the event of a test, the SSAS alert test message should be configured to have the word "TEST" either in the message or in the subject heading. This is to ensure that the testing of the SSAS does not inadvertently lead to unintended emergency response actions. The alert message is to be configured back to the original wordings after the test is completed.
Further details may be found by reading the following circular issued by the MPA Singapore