RAD-011 - Maritime Mobile Satellite Service - Activations and Changes to Terminals
21 March 2025
Marine Notice 03/25
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TO: ALL SHIPOWNERS, OPERATORS, MASTERS AND OFFICERS OF MERCHANT SHIPS, AND AUTHORIZED CLASSIFICATION SOCIETIES
Subject: Maritime Mobile Satellite Service - Activations and Changes to Terminals
Reference: (a) Liberia Maritime Regulation (RLM-108) 6.180(4)
- Marine Notice RAD-010
- Liberian Registry Inmarsat Terminal Activations Instructions (d) Inmarsat SafetyLink Portal
Purpose
The purpose of this Marine Notice is to update shipowners, operators, and radio Accounting Authorities recognized by the Liberian Administration, as well as mobile satellite service ship earth station “Billing Parties” linked to terminals in the SafetyLink System of the Administration’s policy and procedures concerning Inmarsat terminal activations, deactivations and changes to terminal details. It is also to inform shipowners and operators of the Liberian Administration’s policy regarding the acceptance and registration of Inmarsat and Iridium terminals as GMDSS units on Liberian flagged ships.
This Marine Notice provides specific direction with respect to terminals that have been activated to Inmarsat’s new Safety Link against consent of the Administration as detailed in Marine Advisory 15/2024. It also provides details on future plans of the Administration to generally improve the quality of the safety and security systems used by Liberian flagged ships.
Background
In accordance with Liberia Maritime Law and Liberia Maritime Regulation (RLM-108, Section 6.180 (4)), Liberia, as a sovereign Flag State, has the responsibility to ensure its registered vessels’ compliance to accepted international standards, including compliance with maritime communication requirements, and has the right and responsibility to monitor the activation and deactivation of satellite communication equipment and services on Liberian flagged vessels.
The Liberian Administration has accepted Iridium as a Recognized Mobile Satellite Service (RMSS) for providing GMDSS services and the dissemination of MSI. Therefore, approved Iridium GMDSS
Inquiries concerning the subject of this Notice should be directed to the Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Republic of
Liberia, the Liberian International Ship & Corporate Registry, 22980 Indian Creek Drive., Suite 200, Dulles, VA 20166,
USA. The most current version of all Marine Notices are available in the Online Library at: http://www.liscr.com
terminals may be installed on Liberian flagged vessels for compliance with the applicable requirements of SOLAS Chapter IV regarding GMDSS and Maritime Safety Information (MSI).
Inmarsat has introduced a new SafetyLink to carry out activation and changes to Inmarsat mobile satellite terminals and the and the Administration has been informed that this system was designed to eventually replace the older ESAS System. The use of the SafetyLink is not authorized under Liberian Maritime Regulations. All new terminal activations must be requested to the Liberian Registry at satelliteservices@liscr.com for processing.
Inmarsat Activations and Changes to Terminals - Requirements
In accordance with Liberia Maritime Regulation the 6.180(4)), activations, deactivations and changes to terminal details will continue to be performed in accordance with the procedure outlined in the Maritime Regulations.
The Liberian Registry’s Mobile Satellite Services Activations Department remains the sole Point of Service Activation (PSA) for Liberian flagged vessels. All Inmarsat service functions, including activation and deactivation of mobile satellite terminals, the issuance of Inmarsat mobile numbers, or changes to terminal details must be submitted to the Liberian Registry’s Mobile Satellite Services Activations Department for processing and handling. Inmarsat terminal activation instructions can be found on the Liberian Registry website, Satellite Services.
Therefore, until further notice, in accordance with Liberian Maritime Regulations, except for terminals that have been activated on or migrated to Inmarsat’s new SafetyLink prior to the publication of this Marine Notice, shipowners and operators of Liberian flagged vessels, authorized radio Accounting Authorities, and Inmarsat’ authorized service and billing parties must not migrate or use the Inmarsat SafetyLink portal for Inmarsat terminal activations, deactivations, changes to activations and change of LESO, etc. All requests for such actions must be sent to the Administration’s Satellite Services Department (satelliteservices@liscr.com) for processing or via an Accounting Authority/authorized service provider.
Potential issues with Inmarsat terminals that have been activated or migrated to Inmarsat’s SafetyLink
Inmarsat terminals on Liberian-flagged vessels that were activated or migrated to SafetyLink prior to the issuance of this Notice may remain on the SafetyLink system.
Vessels that have terminals activated or migrated to SafetyLink should test their SSAS as migration may negatively affect these systems. In addition, for terminals activated in SafetyLink the system Emergency Contact details must be provided. Vessels with Terminals activated in SafetyLink may receive erroneous information related to the ITU’s MARS database. This information must be sent to the Liberian Registry at satelliteservices@liscr.com.
Deactivations or changes may be made to activated or migrated terminals through a direct interface with Inmarsat’s SafetyLink until further notice. Any such activity must be reported to the Liberian Registry at satelliteservices@liscr.com.
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Future permitted use of the Inmarsat SafetyLink Portal
In the future, the permitted use of the Inmarsat SafetyLink Portal must only be via the Administration’s Authorized SafetyLink Providers. Service Providers will be vetted on their technical qualifications and authorized to act on behalf of the Administration. In the upcoming weeks, the Liberian Registry will publish via a Marine Notice a list of Authorized SafetyLink Providers, that will be available on the LISCR’s website, at that time vessel terminals will be permitted to move to, and activated in, SafetyLink by one of the Authorized SafetyLink Providers. The procedures may also designate Preferred LESOs that can be used in the SafetyLink portal.
The Inmarsat terminals on Liberian-flagged vessels that were activated or migrated to SafetyLink prior to the issuance of this Notice by a technically qualified marine communications company, without the consent of the Administration, shall be deemed compliant once such company has been authorized by the Administration.
Activation and Registration of all RMSS Equipment (Iridium)
Iridium has appointed several marine communication companies around the world as their designated GMDSS Service Providers. In turn the Administration has authorized many of the Iridium GMDSS Service Providers for activation of Iridium terminals on Liberia flagged vessels
Iridium GMDSS terminals installed on Liberian flagged vessels must be activated, and when appropriate deactivated, by one of the Iridium GMDSS service providers recognized by the Administration. A list of the Iridium GMDSS service providers recognized by the Administration can be found at
(https://www.liscr.com/maritime/certification-services#iridium-services).
Any Iridium terminal installed on board a Liberian flag ship must be reported to the Administration in accordance with international telecommunication rules (ITU) for amendment of the vessel’s radio station license, for verification of compliance with SOLAS Chapter IV requirements, and inclusion in the Administration’s communication database. To this end the recognized Iridium GMDSS service providers will forward to the Administration the Iridium GMDSS terminal information needed for registration of the terminal in the Administration’s communication database, for amendment of the Ship Radio Station License to indicate Iridium as the ship earth station and GMDSS terminal(s), for inclusion of the terminal information in the ITU Report, and for updating the COSPAS-SARSAT database, as appropriate.
The Administration will issue the vessel an amended Ship Radio Station License as appropriate to indicate the activation of Iridium GMDSS terminals. For information of our clients, Liberian flagged vessels can fulfil their GMDSS requirements by any RMSS Equipment or a mixture of these terminals.
Liberian Registry RMSS Approved Equipment List
The Administration will soon be publishing a list of authorized safety and security terminal equipment that will be specifically approved by the Administration and then can be used by Liberian flagged ships for compliance with GMDSS requirements and also support LRIT and SSAS (the list will not include non-Inmarsat-C equipment that is exclusively used for LRIT or SSAS). This list will be known as the “Liberian Registry RMSS Approved Equipment List”. Therefore, in the future Liberian Flagged ships will use RMSS terminal equipment setup and installed by authorized service providers to improve the quality and reliability of these crucial safety and security systems.
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The above procedures for activations, deactivations, and changes to RMSS terminals installed on Liberian flagged vessel are effective on the date of publication of the Advisory. Further details may be found on the LISCR website (www.liscr.com) under Maritime Mobile Satellite System Terminal Activations.
Questions regarding this Notice should be referred to satelliteservices@liscr.com or telephone +1-703-790-3434.
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