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WWNWS                                                                                            WWNWS5/3/3.1.1
Meeting 5 30 August 2013
Agenda Item 3.3.1.1

NAVTEX COVERAGE IN CENTRAL MEDITERRANEAN SEA
Submitted by Italy

SUMMARY

Executive Summary: Coordination between Italian, Tunisian, Maltese and French NAVTEX services. Tunisian Kelibia NAVTEX station is not broadcasting MSI. Therefore, the area of sea between south of Sardinia, south west of Sicily, Tunisian coasts and the western coast of Libya, at the moment is not covered by any NAVTEX station.

Action to be taken: Paragraph 7.

Background
1. Starting from January the 1st 2012, Italy is broadcasting MSI through La Maddalena
(R), Sellia Marina (V) and Mondolfo (U) Navtex stations.
Comparing Italy, France, Malta and Tunisia S.R.R.s with NAVTEX service areas of responsibility of the mentioned countries, it arised that the two areas do not match. So
the mentioned countries would have to cooperate in order to guarantee MSI broadcasting, especially those concerning S.A.R. warnings.

2. Due to Italian geography, during these 20 months, some lack of coverage was identified in the western part of Ligurian Sea.
In order to solve the mentioned issue, Italian Navtex coordinator requested to Secretary IMO NAVTEX Coordinating Panel the allocation of a B1 character for 490khz only use. The Panel allocated to Italy the use of a B1 characters (N).
The new NAVTEX station will be located in Piombino (see Annex 1). The coverage
estimated range in maximum ground noise conditions is about 250 KM. The coverage area in medium conditions of propagation is about 600 KM. Piombino station will broadcast MSI in English language on frequency 490Khz and will become fully operational by the end of 2014.

3. Furthermore Tunisian Kelibia NAVTEX station is not working. The outage of this station entails that the broadcasting of safety warnings is not possible in the area between, south coast of Sardinia, Tunisia, western coast of Libya and south-western coast of Sicily.

Comments
4. The lack of transmission in the mentioned area is considered particularly relevant. Due to the heavy commercial and passenger lines maritime traffic, and because of the

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illegal immigration flows from Africa, this area assumes a very important role for maritime safety.

5. NAVAREA III agreed with Italy about the possibility to coordinate NAVTEX coordinators’ activities in particular over the whole central Mediterranean Sea.

6. As soon as new NAVTEX station of Piombino will be fully operational, it should partially cover also Kelibia’s responsibility area. But during the time necessary to be fully operational, it will continue the lack of broadcasting in the mentioned area.

Action requested
7. Italy would like to ask NAVAREA III coordination among the involved countries NAVTEX services (e.g. meetings organization, conference calls, etc.) with the aim to improve MSI broadcasting both over the central Mediterranean Sea and over Kelibia’s responsibility area.

List of annexes
ANNEX 1 map of coverage estimated range of Piombino station.

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