AMRD

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Summary

An Autonomous Maritime Radio Device (AMRD) is defined by ITU-R as:

 a mobile station; operating at sea and transmitting independently of a ship station or a coast station 

(Working Document Towards a Preliminary Draft New Recommendation ITU-R M.[AMRD]).

The use of AMRD is becoming increasingly popular, but their widespread use is causing some problems for mariners transiting waters where there are high concentrations of them; see for example: AIS Problems Revealed in East China Sea

Work at ITU-R

ITU-R Working Party 5B (WP 5B)

In preparation for the 2019 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-19), ITU-R Working Party 5B worked on 2 documents related to AMRD:

• Preliminary Draft New Recommendation ITU-R M.[AMRD]: Technical characteristics of autonomous maritime radio devices operating in the frequency band 156-162.05 MHz. This Recommendation divides AMRD into 2 categories:
  • Group A - AMRD that enhance the safety of navigation,
  • Group B - AMRD that do not enhance the safety of navigation (AMRD which deliver signals or information which do not concern the navigation of the vessel or do not complement vessel traffic safety in waterways)
• Preliminary Draft New Report ITU-R M.[AMRD]: addresses WRC-19 agenda item 1.9.1 (Autonomous maritime radio devices) and Resolution 362 (WRC-15).

Outcome of WRC-19

The issues relating to AMRD were considered at WRC-19 under agenda item 1.9.1 as follows:

 to consider, based on the results of ITU R studies:
   regulatory actions within the frequency band 156-162.05 MHz for autonomous maritime radio devices to protect the GMDSS and automatic identifications system (AIS), in accordance with Resolution 362 (WRC 15);

The aim of this agenda item was to prevent unregulated operation of AMRD. It was recommended that devices that are determined to be Group A devices (such as mobile AtoNs and AIS-MOB devices) should continue to use the AIS channels, but those that are determined to be Group B (such as fishing net markers), should not use the AIS channels, and should be allocated a different channel (TBD), where they shall not interfere with nor claim protection from other existing radio communications.

At WRC-19,a modification was developed to a footnote in RR Appendix 18 to allow the use of AMRD Group A on channel 70 and AIS 1 and AIS 2 using DSC and/or AIS technology (Appendix 18 (Rev. WRC-19)). A new footnote designates 160.9 MHz (channel 2006) to AMRD Group B using AIS technology (Appendix 18 (Rev. WRC-19)). No agreement was reached for the use of AMRD Group B using non-AIS technology.

IMO position

The IMO position on this agenda item is as follows (‘as received’ contribution to ITU-R CPM19-2):

Background
There are some types of autonomous maritime radio devices using AIS technology or digital selective calling (DSC) technology, or transmitting synthetic voice messages, or with a combination of those technologies, which have been developed for, and are operating in, the maritime environment, and their number is expected to increase.

Some of these devices do not enhance the safety of navigation or serve the purpose of communication between coast stations and ship stations, or between ship stations, or between associated onboard communication stations, or survival craft stations and emergency position-indicating radio beacon stations, but occupying the spectrum and identities of the maritime mobile service.

There is a need to categorize and regulate the usage of autonomous maritime radio devices. ITU at its seventeenth WP 5B session adopted the preliminary draft definition of AMRD developed at the twelfth Joint Experts Group meeting and finalized the definition at its eighteenth WP 5B session in May 2017. The categorization of AMRD and relevant information are contained in the draft new recommendation ITU-R M.[AMRD].

Draft IMO position
 .1            the integrity of AIS and the GMDSS should be protected;
 .2            autonomous maritime radio devices which enhance the safety of navigation should be regulated for the use of frequencies and identities of the maritime mobile service; and
 .3            for autonomous maritime radio devices which do not enhance the safety of navigation, regulation of the use of frequencies, and technical and operational characteristics, should benefit both the user of devices as well as maritime safety. An additional spectrum allocation within the frequency band 156 MHz - 162.05 MHz and a new numbering scheme which is different from those in the existing maritime mobile service should be considered.