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1. The Maritime Safety Committee, at its 106th session, approved the revised GMDSS operating guidance for ships in distress situations vide Circular, MSC.1/Circ. 1656 which will become effective on 1 January 2024, superseding COM/Circ.108.

2. The circular provides guidance concerning the use of appropriate radiocommunication equipment in distress situations, in accordance with chapter IV of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974.

3. Ship Owners/ Managers and Masters of vessels are advised to display the Guidance in the annex of MSC.1/Circ. 1656 on ships' bridges as an A4 size poster.

Enclosure:

• MSC.1/Circ. 1656.

Disclaimer:

This Technical Circular and the material contained in it is provided only for the purpose of supplying current information to the reader and not as an advice to be relied upon by any person. While we have taken utmost care to be as factual as possible, readers/ users are advised to verify the exact text and content of the Regulation from the original source/ issuing Authority.         

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