LRIT BASIS

ING. CÉSAR MÁRQUEZ

 LRIT
 LRIT stands for “Long Range Identification Tracking” System which is an
international tracking and identification system incorporated by the IMO
under its SOLAS convention to ensure a thorough tracking system for ships
across the world.

 It came into existence on the 19th May 2006 and was incorporated formally
starting from January 2008. Based on these lines, those ships which were
built on or following 31st December 2008 were required to have this system
of vessel identification.
 OVERVIEW
 As part of the international maritime community’s wide-ranging response to
the growing threat from terrorism world-wide, the International Maritime
Organization (IMO) decided to establish a new system for the global
identification and tracking of ships. Following a major effort to identify
appropriate technologies, establish the necessary global legal regime and
achieve political consensus concerning the collection, distribution and use of
the data, IMO has established a system for the Long-Range Identification and
Tracking of Ships (LRIT).
 The obligations of ships to transmit LRIT information and the rights and
obligations of SOLAS Contracting Governments and of Search and rescue
services to receive LRIT information are established in regulation V/19-1 of the
1974 SOLAS Convention.
 OVERVIEW
 LRIT system forms a very important ambit in the SOLAS convention. LRIT was designed
as per the recommendations of one of the Maritime Security Committee (MSC)
resolutions. The ship tracking system has been specifically incorporated. This has been
done so that the countries that fall under the purview of the SOLAS convention can
share the necessary marine security information along with all other required
information about the ships that sail through the countries’ coastal boundaries.
 As per the LRIT requirements, the ships that come under its purview are:
 All ships used for the purpose of passenger transportation. Such a criteria includes
even the faster and speedier ships
 All offshore rigs used for the purpose of drilling oil in the high seas
 All ships used for the purpose of cargo-carrying. This criterion also includes
speedier vessels as also ships with a weight of over 300 gross tons
 LRIT Members
 There are many countries which have incorporated the vessel tracking system as a part of
their oceanic operation. Starting with the earliest, some of the countries can be listed
down as follows:
 The most number of vessels that have adopted the LRIT system are from the Panama
Flag Registry – around 8000 ships
 The European Union adopted the ship tracking system in the year 2007
 Canada became the first SOLAS nation to incorporate the system to track ships in the
year 2009, followed by the United States in the same year
 Amongst the South American countries; Brazil, Venezuela, Chile and Ecuador were
some of the front-runners to have adopted the system. Ecuador was the last among
these four nations adopting the system in the year 2010
 The most important advantage of having this system is that the information required to
be shared is restricted only to those parties which are required to have it. This reduces
unnecessary problems and increases the transparency and viability of the system on the
whole.
 LRIT Members
 There are many countries which have incorporated the vessel tracking system as a part of
their oceanic operation. Starting with the earliest, some of the countries can be listed
down as follows:
 The most number of vessels that have adopted the LRIT system are from the Panama
Flag Registry – around 8000 ships
 The European Union adopted the ship tracking system in the year 2007
 Canada became the first SOLAS nation to incorporate the system to track ships in the
year 2009, followed by the United States in the same year
 Amongst the South American countries; Brazil, Venezuela, Chile and Ecuador were
some of the front-runners to have adopted the system. Ecuador was the last among
these four nations adopting the system in the year 2010
 The most important advantage of having this system is that the information required to
be shared is restricted only to those parties which are required to have it. This reduces
unnecessary problems and increases the transparency and viability of the system on the
whole.
 LRIT Components
 The LRIT consist of:
 Shipborne LRIT information transmitting equipment
 Communication Service Provider (s)
 Application Service Provider (s)
 LRIT Data Centers
 The LRIT Data Distribution Plan and the International LRIT Data Exchange.

 Certain aspects of the performance of the LRIT system are reviewed or audited
by the LRIT Coordinator acting on behalf of all Contracting Governments to the
International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS). IMSO has been
appointed to be the LRIT Coordinator. The audit is done in regular intervals to
ensure that the system is always operating.
 Requirements of Transmission
 Under new SOLAS Regulation V/19-1, ships will be required to report their
position (LRIT information) automatically, to a special shore data collection,
storage and distribution system, at least four times a day. LRIT information is
provided to Contracting Governments and Search and Rescue services entitled
to receive the information, upon request, through a system of National,
Regional, and Co operative LRIT Data Centers, using where necessary, the
International LRIT Data Exchange.
 Individual Flag States are expected to publish specific regulations for the ships
on their Register providing detailed guidance on the implementation of LRIT,
including ship equipment conformance test arrangements, plus the Application
Service Provider(s) and Data Centre chosen by the Flag concerned.
 Shipborne Equipment
 The “shipborne equipment” utilized for LRIT can be any communications terminal on
board the vessel that is capable of automatically transmitting the ship’s LRIT
information, without human intervention, at 6-hourly intervals to an LRIT data center.
 The shipborne equipment must be capable of:
 Being configured remotely to transmit LRIT information at variable intervals
 Transmitting LRIT information on receipt of a specific request from the shore
(when asked)
 Being interfaced with an external global navigation satellite receiver (GPS) or have
an internal positioning capability
 It must also meet a number of specific environmental and installation requirements,
including the general requirements for shipborne radio equipment forming part of the
global maritime distress and safety system (GMDSS) set out in IMO resolution
A.,694(17).
 LRIT Information

 The LRIT Information that is required to be transmitted by the ship is

specified in new SOLAS Regulation V/19-1.5 and is limited to:
 Identity of the ship
 Position of the ship (latitude and longitude)
 Date and time of the position provided
 Communication Service Provider
 The Communication Service Provider (CSP) provides the
communications services which transfer LRIT data securely from ship to
the ASP on shore. The means of communication will often be via
satellite, but the LRIT system itself is independent of the means of
communication, and any method can be used, as long as the correct
packet of data arrives on shore at the right periodicity or when
demanded. The IMO Performance Standard requires that:
 “The shipboard equipment should transmit the LRIT information
using a communication system which provides coverage in all areas
where the ship operates.”
 Application Service Provider
 The Application Service Provider (ASP) receives the LRIT reports transmitted by the
ship via the CSP, adds certain additional information to each report, and forwards the
reports to the Data Centre nominated by the ship’s Flag State. The information to be
added to each LRIT report by the ASP includes:
 IMO ship identification number and MMSI for the ship
 Name of the ship
 Unique identification code for the LRIT Data Center
 A number of time stamps used for tracking and audit purposes.
 ASP has further responsibilities such as:
 Testing and configuring the ship’s communications terminal, both when the
terminal is new and during continued LRIT reporting, including executing “on
demand” transmissions of LRIT data.
 Application Service Provider
 ASP has further responsibilities such as:
 Experience has shown that ship’s communication terminals do not always
continue reporting automatically without further intervention, and the
ASP is responsible for identifying when a terminal has ceased automatic
reporting for any reason and resetting its reporting function when
required.
 Lastly, the ASP must ensure that LRIT information is collected, stored and
routed in a reliable and secure manner.
 The ASP is will often be a commercial entity, and is chosen and recognized by
a Contracting Government to provide LRIT Data to their Data Center.
 LRIT Data Centers
 The primary purposes of an LRIT Data Centre (DC) are to collect, store and
make available to authorized entities the LRIT information transmitted by
ships instructed by their administrations to utilize the services of that DC. In
carrying out these core functions, the DC is required to ensure that LRIT data
users are only provided with the LRIT information they are entitled to receive
under the terms of SOLAS Regulation V/19.1.
 In addition, the LRIT DC acts as a “clearing house” by receiving requests for
LRIT information lodged in other DCs from its associated Administration(s)
and obtaining the data requested. Generally LRIT reports so requested will
be exchanged through the International Data Exchange.
 LRIT Data Centers
 LRIT Data Centers are required to archive their data so that the reports can be
recovered, if required, at a later date and the activities of the DC can be audited by
the LRIT Coordinator.
 LRIT DCs may make a charge for LRIT data they provide to other DCs.
 DCs may be either National (established to provide service to only one Contracting
Government); Cooperative (established to provide services to a number of
Contracting Governments) or Regional (established to provide services to a
number of Contracting Governments acting through a regional entity of some
kind). The IMO Performance Standard envisages also an International Data Centre
(IDC), to provide LRIT services on an international basis to many countries that do
not wish to establish their own DCs, but the IMO Maritime Safety Committee
(MSC) has not yet decided to establish such an IDC.
 LRIT Data Distribution Plan
 The LRIT Data Distribution Plan (DDP) is principally a database that holds
information needed to allow the international LRIT system to operate correctly.
The DDP is consulted by any DC in order to determine whether a request for LRIT
information should be allowed under the rules for the distribution of LRIT data.
 The DDP information includes:
 A list of the unique identification codes assigned to key elements in the LRIT
system
 The coordinates which define the various geographical areas declared by
Contracting Governments within which they wish to exercise their rights to
receive or restrict the distribution of LRIT information as a Flag or Coastal State;
and
 A list of the ports and port facilities within the territory and places under the
jurisdiction of each Contracting Government.
 International LRIT Data Exchange
 The International LRIT Data Exchange (IDE) exists to route LRIT information
between LRIT DCs using the information provided in the LRIT Data
Distribution Plan. It is therefore connected via the internet to all LRIT DCs
and the LRIT Data Distribution Plan server.
 The IDE cannot access and does not archive the LRIT data itself, but it does
maintain a journal of message header information – which can be
understood as the “envelope” containing the LRIT information. This journal is
used for invoicing functions and for audit purposes.
 The performance of the IDE is audited by the LRIT Coordinator.
 LRIT System Security
 Current LRIT information can have both a security and a commercial value. It
must therefore be strictly protected from unauthorized access in storage and
when it is being exchanged. The LRIT Performance Standard provides for the
protection of LRIT data through the protection not only of the databases
themselves, but also the communication links used to exchange data.
Recommended methods of data protection include: authorization prior to
access; authentication of those accessing the data; confidentiality (usually by
encryption of the data) and data integrity checking.
 LRIT Coordinator
 IMSO has been appointed as the LRIT Coordinator by the Maritime Safety Committee;
and has implemented that decision by amendments to the IMSO Convention and its
operational procedures.
 The functions of the LRIT Coordinator include:
 Assisting in the establishment of the IDE and IDC through issuing and evaluating
Requests for Proposals to potential operators
 Facilitating the testing and integration of new DCs and other elements into the
international LRIT system
 reviewing the performance of the system on an annual basis, through review and
audit of ASPs, DCs and the IDE, verifying in particular that Contracting
Governments and Search and Rescue services receive the information they are
entitled to, and not any information to which they are not entitled
 LRIT Coordinator

 The functions of the LRIT Coordinator include:

 Providing an annual report to the Maritime Safety Committee on the
performance of the LRIT system including any non-conformities, and
making any appropriate recommendations with a view to improving
the efficiency, effectiveness and security of the LRIT system.

 The LRIT Coordinator is authorized to charge for the services it provides.

 Access to LRIT Information
 Under the terms of SOLAS Regulation V/19-1.8, governments are entitled to receive
LRIT information, if they wish to do so, for security and other purposes, in four basic
situations:
 As a Flag State, an Administration is entitled to receive LRIT information about
ships entitled to fly its flag irrespective of where such ships may be located
 As a Port State, a Contracting Government is entitled to receive LRIT information
about ships which have indicated their intention to enter a port facility or a place
under the jurisdiction of that Contracting Government, subject to certain
restrictions
 As a Coastal State, a Contracting Government is entitled to receive LRIT
information about ships entitled to fly the flag of other Contracting Governments,
not intending to enter a port facility or a place under the jurisdiction of that
Contracting Government, navigating within a distance not exceeding 1,000 nautical
miles of its coast, subject to certain restrictions
 Access to LRIT Information
 The Search and Rescue Service of a Contracting Government may receive,
free of any charges, LRIT information in relation to the search and rescue of
persons in distress at sea
 Contracting Governments will generally have to pay a small charge, reflecting
largely the costs of data collection and storage, for the LRIT information they
use. The MSC has decided that ships themselves shall not be charged for the
transmission or other costs of participation in the LRIT system. Similarly, the
LRIT system has been designed so that the capabilities of many existing satellite
communication terminals (eg Inmarsat C), mandatorily fitted in most SOLAS
ships, will be sufficient for LRIT purposes.

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