Regulation 32
Information required in danger messages
Regulation
The following information is required in danger messages:
1 Ice, derelicts and other direct dangers to navigation:
.1 The kind of ice, derelict or danger observed.
.2 The position of the ice, derelict or danger when last observed.
.3 The time and date (Universal Co-ordinated Time) when the danger was last observed.
2 Tropical cyclones (storms)*
.1 A statement that a tropical cyclone has been encountered. This obligation should be interpreted in a broad spirit, and information transmitted whenever the master has good reason to believe that a tropical cyclone is developing or exists in the neighbourhood.
.2 Time, date (Universal Co-ordinated Time) and position of ship when the observation was taken.
.3 As much of the following information as is practicable should be included in the message:
- barometric pressure,** preferably corrected (stating millibars, millimetres, or inches, and whether corrected or uncorrected);
- barometric tendency (the change in barometric pressure during the past three hours);
- true wind direction;
- wind force (Beaufort scale);
- state of the sea (smooth, moderate, rough, high);
- swell (slight, moderate, heavy) and the true direction from which it comes. Period or length of swell (short, average, long) would also be of value;
- true course and speed of ship.
Subsequent observations
3 When a master has reported a tropical cyclone or other dangerous storm, it is desirable but not obligatory, that further observations be made and transmitted hourly, if practicable, but in any case at intervals of not more than 3 hours, so long as the ship remains under the influence of the storm.
4 Winds of force 10 or above on the Beaufort scale for which no storm warning has been received. This is intended to deal with storms other than the tropical cyclones referred to in paragraph 2; when such a storm is encountered, the message should contain similar information to that listed under the paragraph but excluding the details concerning sea and swell
5 Sub-freezing air temperatures associated with gale force winds causing severe ice accretion on superstructures:
.1 Time and date (Universal Co-ordinated Time).
.2 Air temperature.
.3 Sea temperature (if practicable).
.4 Wind force and direction.
* The term tropical cyclone is the generic term used by national meteorological services of the World Meteorological Organization. The term hurricane, typhoon, cyclone, severe tropical storm, etc., may also be used, depending on the geographical location.
** The standard international unit for barometric pressure is the hectopascal (hPa) which is numerically equivalent to the millibar (mbar).
Examples
- Ice
- TTT ICE. LARGE BERG SIGHTED IN 4506 N, 4410W, AT 0800 UTC. MAY 15.
-
- Derelicts
- TTT DERELICT. OBSERVED DERELICT ALMOST SUBMERGED IN 4006 N, 1243 W, AT 1630 UTC. APRIL 21.
-
- Danger to navigation
- TTT NAVIGATION. ALPHA LIGHTSHIP NOT ON STATION. 1800 UTC. JANUARY 3.
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- Tropical cyclone
- TTT STORM. 0030 UTC. AUGUST 18. 2004 N, 11354 E. BAROMETER CORRECTED 994 MILLIBARS, TENDENCY DOWN 6 MILLIBARS. WIND NW, FORCE 9, HEAVY SQUALLS. HEAVY EASTERLY SWELL. COURSE 067, 5 KNOTS.
TTT STORM. APPEARANCES INDICATE APPROACH OF HURRICANE. 1300 UTC. SEPTEMBER 14. 2200 N, 7236 W. BAROMETER CORRECTED 29.64 INCHES, TENDENCY DOWN .015 INCHES. WIND NE, FORCE 8, FREQUENT RAIN SQUALLS. COURSE 035, 9 KNOTS.
TTT STORM. CONDITIONS INDICATE INTENSE CYCLONE HAS FORMED. 0200 UTC. MAY 4. 1620 N, 9203 E. BAROMETER UNCORRECTED 753 MILLIMETRES, TENDENCY DOWN 5 MILLIMETRES. WIND S BY W, FORCE 5. COURSE 300, 8 KNOTS.
TTT STORM. TYPHOON TO SOUTHEAST. 0300 UTC. JUNE 12. 1812 N, 12605 E. BAROMETER FALLING RAPIDLY. WIND INCREASING FROM N.
TTT STORM. WIND FORCE 11, NO STORM WARNING RECEIVED. 0300 UTC. MAY 4. 4830 N, 30 W. BAROMETER CORRECTED 983 MILLIBARS, TENDENCY DOWN 4 MILLIBARS. WIND SW, FORCE 11 VEERING. COURSE 260, 6 KNOTS.
- Icing
- TTT EXPERIENCING SEVERE ICING. 1400 UTC. MARCH 2. 69 N, 10 W. AIR TEMPERATURE 18°F (-7.8°C). SEA TEMPERATURE 29°F (-1.7°C). WIND NE, FORCE 8.
Summary
Replaces Regulation 3 of SOLAS V/74
Regulations 31 and 32 together with the following notes, supersede the Merchant Shipping (Navigational Warnings) Regulations 1996 and Merchant Shipping Notice M.1641/NW1
Guidance Notes
Regulations 31 and 32 require the Master to report the dangers to navigation specified and to report the information to ships in the vicinity and the competent authorities. They also require the competent authorities to promulgate the information.
COMPETENT AUTHORITIES – The Master’s report is to be sent, preferably in English or using the International Code of Signals, to the appropriate National or NAVAREA Coordinator for navigational warnings via a coastal station. Details of NAVAREAs are can be found at
The NAVAREA Coordinator is the authority charged with coordinating, collating and issuing long-range navigational warnings and NAVAREA warnings bulletins to cover the whole of the NAVAREA.
For NAVAREA 1 (which includes United kingdom waters) the NAVAREA Coordinators are:
For dangers to navigation (listed in Reg.32.1) – The Hydrographer of the Navy, the Hydrographic Office, Taunton.
For meteorological dangers (listed in Reg.32 2 to 32.5) – The Central Forecasting Office of the Meteorological Office, Bracknell.
For details of the NAVTEX Service in NAVAREA 1 refer to MGN 23
For other areas and for details of national authorities refer to Volume 1 of the Admiralty List of Radio Signals (ALRS) obtainable from admiralty chart agents or the Hydrographic Office Publications, Hydrographic Office, Admiralty Way, Taunton. Somerset TA1 2DN
WWW LINKS:
UK Hydrographic Office- http://www.ukho.gov.uk/
Meteorological Office- http://www.met-office.gov.uk/
MCA – MGNs- http://www.mcga.gov.uk/mgn
Worldwide NAVAREA Addresses - http://www.amsa.gov.au/imo/public/compauth-navarea.html