In smcp 2001 distress communications (spoken or written, those conducted via vhf, mf, hf or gmdss, etc.), are dealt with in:

A1/1 DISTRESS TRAFFIC distress comms SAR comms requesting medical assist.	A2/1 Standard wheel orders
A1/2 URGENCY TRAFFIC - technical failure - cargo - ice damage	A2/2 Standard engine orders
A1/3 SAFETY COMMS - meteo & hydrogr. conditions - NAVWARN - environmental protection	A2/2 Pilot on the Bridge propulsion systems, manoeuvring, radar, draft, anchoring, tug assistance, berthing & unberthing
A1/4 PILOTAGE
A1/5 SPECIALS (helicopter operations)
A1/6 VTS Standard Phrases
Appendix to A 1 – GMDSS Messages
	B1 Operative ship handling
	B2 Safety on board
	B3 Cargo and cargo handling
	B4 Passenger care

3.5.1 IMO SMCP 2001 (extract):

Part a (External Communications) – chapters dealing with distress communications: a1/1 Distress traffic

A1/1.1 Distress communications

.1 Fire, explosion

.2 Flooding

.3 Collision

.4 Grounding

.5 List, danger of capsizing

.6 Sinking

.7 Disabled and adrift

.8 Armed attack / piracy

.9 Undesignated distress

.10 Abandoning vessel

.11 Person overboard

A1/1.2 Search and Rescue communications

(see Section 4. Search and Rescue Communications)

.1 SAR communications (specifying or supplementary to A1/1.1)

.2 Acknowledgement and / or relay of SAR messages

.3 Performing / co‑ordinating SAR operations

.4 Finishing with SAR operations

A1/6 Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) Standard Phrases

A1/6.1 Phrases for acquiring and providing data for a traffic image

.2 Acquiring and providing distress traffic data

Appendix to A1 – External Communication Phrases

Standard GMDSS Messages

1 Standard Distress Message

.1 Structure

.2 Example

PART B (On-board Communications Phrases) – chapters dealing with distress communications:

B2 Safety on board

B2/1 General activities

B2/1.1 Raising alarm

B2/1.2 Briefing crew and passengers

B2/1.3 Checking status of escape routes

B2/1.4 Checking status of lifeboats / liferafts

B2/1.5 Ordering evacuation

B2/1.6 Roll call

B2/1.7 Ordering abandon vessel

B2/1.8 In-boat procedures

In GMDSS, a distress alert is defined as a radio signal from a distressed vessel

automatically directed to an MRCC giving position, identification, course and speed of the

vessel as well as the nature of distress.

3.5.2 (Smcp cont’d)

PART A (External Communications)

A1/1 Distress traffic

It should be noted that the use of Standard Phrases in vessels' external communications does not in any way exempt from application of the radiotelephone procedures as set out in the ITU Radio Regulations.

A1/1.1 Distress communications

Note: A distress traffic always has to commence with stating the position of the vessel in distress as specified in “GENERAL 11 Positions /13 Bearings” if it is not included in the DSC distress alert.

.1 Fire, explosion

.1 I am (MV ... is) on fire (- after explosion).

.2 Where is the fire?

.2.1 Fire is

~ on deck.

~ in engine-room.

~ in hold(s).

~ in superstructure / accommodation/... .

.3 Are dangerous goods on fire?

.3.1 Yes, dangerous goods are on fire.

.3.2 No, dangerous goods are not on fire.

.4 Is there danger of explosion?

.4.1 Yes, danger of explosion.

.4.2 No danger of explosion.

.5 I am (MV ... is) not under command. (an NUC vessel)

.6 Is the fire under control?

.6.1 Yes, fire is under control.

.6.2 No, fire is not under control.

.7 What kind of assistance is required?

.7.1 I do not (MV ... does not) require assistance.

.7.2 I require (MV ... requires)

~ fire fighting assistance.

~ breathing apparatus - smoke is toxic.

~ foam extinguishers / CO₂ extinguishers.

~ fire pumps.

~ medical assistance/... .

.8 Report injured persons.

.8.1 No persons injured.

.8.2 Number of injured persons / casualties: ... .

.2 Flooding

.1 I am (MV ... is) flooding below water line / in the engine room / in the hold(s).

.2 I (MV ...) cannot control flooding.

.3 What kind of assistance is required?

.3.1 I require (MV ...) requires pumps / divers, ... .

.3.2 I will send pumps / divers/... .

.3.3 I cannot send pumps / divers ... .

.4 I have (MV ... has) dangerous list to port side / starboard (… degrees).

.5 I am (MV ... is) in critical condition.

.6 Flooding is under control.

.7 I (MV ...) can proceed without assistance.

.8 I require (MV ... requires) escort / tug assistance/... .

.3 Collision

.1 I have (MV ... has) collided

~ with MV... .

~ with unknown vessel / object / ... .

~ with ...(name) light vessel.

~ with seamark ... (charted name).

~ with iceberg / ... .

.2 Report damage.

.2.1 I have (MV .. has) damage above / below water line.

.2.2 I am (MV ... is) not under command.

.2.3 I (MV ….) cannot establish damage.

.2.4 I (MV ….) cannot repair damage.

.2.5 I (MV ... .) can only proceed at slow speed.

.3 What kind of assistance is required?

.3.1 I require (MV ... requires) / escort / tug assistance /... .

.4 Grounding

.1 I am (MV ... is) aground.

.2 I require (MV ... requires) tug assistance / pumps / ... .

.3 What part of your vessel is aground?

.3.1 Aground forward / amidships / aft / full length.

.3.2 I cannot establish which part is aground.

.4 Warning. Uncharted rocks in position ... .

.5 Risk of grounding at low water.

.6 I (MV ... ) will jettison cargo to refloat.

.6.1 Warning! Do not jettison IMO-Class cargo!

.7 When do you (does MV ...) expect to refloat?

.7.1 I expect (MV ... expects) to refloat

~ at ... UTC.

~ when tide rises.

~ when weather improves.

~ when draft decreases.

~ with tug assistance / ... .

.8 Can you (can MV ...) beach?

.8.1 I (MV ...) can / will beach in position ... .

.8.2 I (MV ...) cannot beach.

.5 List - danger of capsizing

.1 I have (MV ... has) dangerous list to port / starboard.

.2 I (MV ...) will

~ transfer cargo / bunkers to stop listing.

~ jettison cargo to stop listing.

.3 I am (MV ...) in danger of capsizing (list increasing).

.6 Sinking

.1 I am (MV ... is) sinking after collision / grounding / flooding / explosion /.

.2 I require (MV ... requires) assistance.

.3 I am (MV ...) proceeding / coming to your assistance.

.4 ETA at distress position within ... hours / at ... UTC.

.7 Disabled and adrift

.1 I am (MV ... is)

~ not under command.

~ adrift.

~ drifting at ... knots to ... (cardinal points).

~ drifting into danger.

.2 I require (MV ... requires) tug assistance.

.8 Armed attack / piracy

.1 I am (MV ... is) under attack by pirates.

.1.1 I (MV ...) was under attack by pirates.

.2 I require (MV ... requires) assistance.

.3 What kind of assistance is required?

.3.1 I require (MV ... requires)

~ medical assistance.

~ navigational assistance.

~ military assistance.

~ tug assistance.

~ escort / ... .

.4 Report damage.

.4.1 I have (MV .. has)

~ no damage.

~ damage to navigational equipment / ... .

.4.2 I am (MV ... is) not under command.

.5 Can you / can MV ... proceed?

.5.1 Yes, I (MV ...) can proceed.

.5.2 No, I (MV ...) cannot proceed.

.9 Undesignated distress

.1 I have (MV ... has) problems with cargo / engine(s) / navigation / ... .

.2 I require (MV ... requires) ... .

.10 Abandoning vessel

.1 I (crew of MV ...) must abandon vessel ... after explosion / collision /

grounding / flooding / piracy / armed attack / ... .

.11 Person overboard

. 1 I have (MV ... has) lost person(s) overboard in position ... .

. 2 Assist with search in vicinity of position ... .

. 3 All vessels in vicinity of position ... keep sharp lookout and report to ... .

. 4 I am (MV… is) proceeding for assistance. ETA at ... UTC / within ... hours.

. 5 Search in vicinity of position ... .

. 5.1 I am (MV ... is) searching in vicinity of position ... .

. 6 Aircraft ETA at ... UTC / within ... hours to assist in search.

. 7 Can you continue search?

. 7.1 Yes, I can continue search.

. 7.2 No, I cannot continue search.

. 8 Stop search.

. 8.1 Return to ... .

. 8.2 Proceed with your voyage.

.10 What is the result of search?

.10.1 The result of search is negative.

.11 I / MV ... located / picked up person(s) in position ... .

.12 Person picked up is crew/member / passenger of MV ... .

.13 What is condition of person(s)?

.13.1 Condition of person(s) bad / good.

.13.2 Person(s) dead.