The 32nd meeting of the Maritime Forum Group of WG FM was held last 20-22 June at the European Communications Office (ECO) in Copenhagen, chaired by Jaap Steenge of the Netherlands.
The group’s work mainly covers matters involving maritime mobile service and maritime radio-navigation. The activity undertaken is reported to WG FM.
Various issues were considered at this meeting, with the following standing out due to their importance:
- completion of work to develop the new draft ECC decision on “Harmonised usage of the channels of the Radio Regulations Appendix 18 (frequencies in the VHF maritime mobile band for vessels)”;
- harmonisation of maritime radio equipment, including AIS-SART/devices MOB/AIS-MOB/EPIRB-AIS/portable VHF radios with digital selective calling (DSC) and global satellite navigation system (GNSS), development of a questionnaire on treatment of radio equipment in the maritime area;
- drawing up of a draft WG FM liaison statement for the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) to obtain information about ongoing standardisation activity in TGM ERM 26, specifically on a harmonised standard for maritime mobile communications below 526.5 kHz;
- Possible new work items:
- digitalisation of communication in the UHF band for on-board communication;
- review of harmonised examination programmes for radio operator certificates (SRC/LRC/GOC/ROC);
- future use of frequencies from Appendix 18 of the Radio Regulations (with eventual congestion of channels);
- Presentation of candidacy to chair the new WG FM project team FM58 on Maritime Radio by the Estonian administration.
