1. Distress Signal and Distress Traffic/Urgency Transmission

2. Introduction Distress alerting – Ship to shore
The Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) as described in SOLAS Chapter IV defines the first functional requirement as:
"Every ship, while at sea, shall be capable
of transmitting ship-to-shore distress alerts
by at least two independent means, each
using a different radiocommunication
service".
three methods of transmitting a distress alert:
EPIRB
Digital Selective Calling (DSC)
INMARSAT

3. General Regulations
Distress calling procedures are compulsory for the maritime mobile service and for correspondence between ships, aircraft and survival crafts.
No regulations shall prevent a coast station from using any available means to give assistance to a distress station.
Distress signals/messages must only be transmitted on the direct orders of the master or the officer-in-charge.

4. Distress, Urgency and Safety frequencies
VHF:
156.8 Mhz (Channel 16)
MF:
2182 Khz
HF:
4125 Khz
6215 Khz
8291 Khz
12290 Khz
16420 Khz
Two most commonly used:
VHF Ch. 16 and MF 2182 Khz

5. In distress situation, speech and radiotelephony must be as SLOW and CLEAR as possible.
Click to play video

6. The international distress and calling frequency
2182 Khz used by ship stations, aeromobile stations, and survival craft stations.
Coast stations open for public correspondence on MF telephony, shall keep listening watch on Khz.
Ship stations when not engaged in traffic, maintain listening watch on 2182 Khz.

7. Silence Periods
It is of vital importance that all ships make every attempts to listen to the international frequency during the silence periods.
The first 3 minutes of every hour and half hour. (eg. 1300H to 1303H; 2230H to 2233H)
All transmissions on 2182 Khz must cease.

8. The Radiotelephony alarm signal
Two substantially sinusoidal audio frequency tones transmitted alternately.
One tone at 2200Hz and the other at 1300Hz with a duration of 250 milliseconds each.
Shall be transmitted as continuously as possible of at least 30 seconds, but not exceeding 1 min.

9. Distress
A Distress situation is one in which a vessel, aircraft, vehicle, or person is…
threatened by grave and imminent danger
and requires immediate assistance.
Examples of "grave and imminent danger“ fire, explosion, sinking or abandonship, piracy, collision, listing, taking in water.

10. Distress signal Mayday voice procedure radio communication
derived from the French venez m'aider
Come help me

11. Distress Call MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY, This is
STOLT EGRET, STOLT EGRET, STOLT EGRET, CALLSIGN LAPO4
MMSI

12. Distress Message MAYDAY STOLT EGRET CALLSIGN LAPO4 MMSI 25701000
IN POSITION SOUTH WEST
20 degrees listing to port side
Danger of capsizing
Need immediate assistance
15 crewmembers
The weather is Northwesterly winds,
Gale 8 with rainshowers and
visibility about 5 nm.

13. Distress Message MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY, This is
STOLT EGRET, STOLT EGRET, STOLT EGRET,
CALLSIGN LAPO4, MMSI
(brief pause)
MAYDAY
STOLT EGRET CALLSIGN LAPO4 MMSI
IN POSITION SOUTH WEST
20 degrees listing to port side
Danger of capsizing
Need immediate assistance
15 crewmembers
The weather is Northwesterly winds, Gale 8 with rainshowers and visibility about 5 nm.
Over

14. Distress Message Acknowledgement
MAYDAY
STOLT EGRET, STOLT EGRET, STOLT EGRET, CALLSIGN LAPO4, MMSI
This is
BERGE MASTER, BERGE MASTER, BERGE MASTER, CALLSIGN LANO2
RECEIVED MAYDAY

15. Any mobile station acknowledging receipt of a distress message shall, on the order of the MASTER or PERSON Responsible for the ship, aircraft, or other vehicle, transmit the following information as soon as possible:
Its name
Its position
The ETA and Speed towards the station in distress

16. Distress Communication between Stolt Egret and Berge Master
Click video to play

17. Seelonce Mayday or Seelonce Distress
means that the channel may only be used by the vessel in distress and the coastguard (and any other vessels they ask for assistance in handling the emergency). The channel may not be used for normal working traffic until 'seelonce feenee' is broadcasted.

18. Eg. MAYDAY ALL STATIONS, ALL STATIONS, ALL STATIONS This is
BERGE MASTER, BERGE MASTER, BERGE MASTER, CALLSIGN LANO2
SEELONCE MAYDAY

19. Seelonce Feenee
means that the emergency situation has been concluded and the channel may now be used normally. The word prudonce (prudence caution) can also be used to allow restricted working to resume on that channel.

20. Eg. MAYDAY ALL STATIONS, ALL STATIONS, ALL STATIONS This is
BERGE MASTER, BERGE MASTER, BERGE MASTER, CALLSIGN LANO2
VESSEL IN DISTRESS “MV BRUNITA” at 2100H UTC
SEELONCE FEENEE

21. Mayday Relay
When the station in distress is not itself in a position to transmit the distress message
When the Master or the person responsible for the craft considers that further help is necessary
When an unacknowledged distress message is heard and one is not in a position to render assistance.

22. Distress Relay Message
MAYDAY RELAY, MAYDAY RELAY, MAYDAY RELAY
ALL STATIONS, ALL STATIONS, ALL STATIONS
This is
BERGE MASTER, BERGE MASTER, BERGE MASTER, CALLSIGN LANO2 MMSI
FOLLOWING RECEIVED FROM STOLT EGRET CALLSIGN LAPO2 MMSI , ON VHF CH. 16, TIME 1615 UTC:
MAYDAY
STOLT EGRET CALLSIGN LAPO4 MMSI
IN POSITION SOUTH WEST
20 degrees listing to port side. Danger of capsizing
Need immediate assistance
15 crewmembers
The weather is Northwesterly winds, Gale 8 with rainshowers and visibility about 5 nm.
Distress Relay Message

23. USCG Rescues Northern Belle

24. Exercise
Create a distress message
Vessel Name MV Cap/Callsign DUX2
You are sinking and abandoning ship
Your position 8 ° 44’ N 124 ° 55’ E
12 Persons on board
Lt 0500H

25. Assignment
Create a safety Message
Your Vessel’s Name is MV Cap/Callsign DUX2
You encountered 10 floating containers in position 8 ° 45’ N 124 ° 34’ E Lt 0500H
Tell all stations to keep a sharp look out