Now Available
GMDSS Compliance for Barbados
Extract from the Policy on GMDSS for Barbados.
Shore Based Facilities
Before Barbados can declare compliance with a GMDSS Sea Area, it must have the shore-based facilities operational. The Government of Barbados intends to establish a GMDSS Coast Station (8PO) at the Barbados Coast Guard Coast Station which would be GMDSS Sea Area 1 and Sea Area 2 compliant. The Barbados Coast Guard would operate this Coast Station and would be responsible for all the SAR, MSI, and GMDSS functions. The Government of Barbados would negotiate with the NAVTEX station covering its Sea Area to ensure that Maritime Safety Information (MSI) is available to vessels within its jurisdiction.
The Shore-based facility at the HMBS PELICAN Barbados Coast Guard Base 8PO/ 8PZ at Spring Garden, St. Michael, has been upgraded to become fully GMDSS compliant for Sea Area A1 and A2.
May 2008
MARS (Maritime Mobile Access and Retrieval System) Database for Barbados ITU MARS Database
The MARS System has been developed by the ITU with the purpose of providing the Maritime Community, in particular those entities that are involved in Search and Rescue (SAR) activities with the most up-to date data registered in the ITU Master Ship Station database. The ITU requires the Authority to collect information about vessels being licensed and what equipment is being used. This information is held on the MARS Database which can then be accessed by the Port Authorities and Search and Rescue organizations worldwide.
The Telecommunication Union (TU)maintains a ships database called EPIRB. The EPIRB database can be found below. The TU receives details of ships registered under the Barbados flag, by fax, from the Barbados Maritime office in London UK.
The ITU MARS database for ships registered under the Barbados flag has been updated with current information from the Barbados Maritime office and will be further updated on a weekly basis.
Updated: 18 May 2010