CSPCWG2-8.5A

International Reporting Line Symbol

(VTS and reporting areas)

Submitted by: / Finland
Executive summary: / Finland proposes to CSPCWG that international symbology for a reporting line be specified.
Actions to be taken: / Consider the proposal for the International reporting line symbology presented here and in the accompanying annex, decide on the merits of proceeding and establish guidance for a circular letter to progress the issue.
Related documents: / M-4, 435 – 439
Related Projects: / None
  1. Introduction / Scope.The Gulf of Finland has been declared a sensitive sea area.

There presently exists a Gulf of Finland mandatory ship reporting system where reporting is compulsory for all ships over 300 grt when entering the reporting line. This has been adopted by the IMO (MSC.139/76)), for the international waters of the Gulf of Finland. This GOFREP system supports an increase in the safety of navigation and contributes to a reduction from the risk from oil and other pollutants. The GOFREP line symbol is represented as a continuous blue line interspersed with a radio reporting point in a blue colour. There is no common symbology presently in use to represent an international reporting line

2. Analysis/Discussion.To consider the issue of defining an international reporting line

that will meet VTS needs and that would be consistent with INT 1. Finland supports the depiction of such an international reporting line symbol as a magenta coloured continuous line containing a radio reporting point interspersed at intervals. The specification of vessel dimensions, grt, etc requirements might best be left to the local maritime authorities to specify but could be discussed further.Finland is presently using such a symbol which is depicted in blue colour and now recommends adopting the same symbol with a change to a magenta colour as the international reporting line symbol.

  1. Resource implication.To be defined.
  1. Benefits.

1.To increase the Safety of Navigation.

2. Contribute to the reduction in the risk of oil, other pollutants.

3. To improve consistency in international charts

  1. Working Groups. CSPCWG: To define the symbology for printed charts.
  1. Any other relevant information not covered elsewhere.

To our knowledge, there is no common symbology presently in use to represent an international reporting line.

  1. Justification.

The benefits justify the proposed actions.

  1. Target completion date.

2006

  1. Related activities and dependencies N/A
  1. Action Required.

Consider the proposal for the International reporting line symbology presented in the accompanying annex in magenta colour and establish guidance for a circular letter to progress the issue.

Example of possible symbology:

(Example 1& 2)

1