Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, DPR Korea

1) Brief introduction

Founded on March 14th 2007, Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), serving as the base of national maritime search and rescue coordination, LRIT National Data Centre, Contact Point of Authority of Ship Security and Inmarsat Point of Service Activation, National Registry of Ship Station, undertakes to establish a system for monitoring and commanding ships in real time and receiving distress alerts and conducting search and rescue thus preventing marine accidents and ensuring safe navigation. MRCC is headquartered in Pyongyang, the Capital of the DPR Korea, which branches out into 8 local maritime rescue sub-centres (MRSCs) and 18 Coast Radio stations (CRSs). The MRSCs, in close contact with CRSs deployed along the eastern and western coastline of the country, undertake to monitor vessels navigating in their responsible areas and in cases of emergency, upon authorizaion of MRCC, take the role of mission coordinator or on-scene coordinator of maritime SAR operations occurring at their responsible seas, rivers and lakes. The CSRs monitor ships navigating in their responsible waters on a real time basis through AIS onboard ships and integrated ship monitoring system; exchange real time data with MRCC via MRSCs; and in cases of emergency, upon authorization of MRCC, take the role of on-scene coordinator in accordance with the maritime search and rescue contingency plan. True to their mission, MRCC and MRSCs, equipped with satellite and radio equipment indcluding INMARSAT-C, AFTN, AIS and MF/HF DSC maintain around-the-clock location of vessels and in case of a marine casualty, they promptly mobilize equipment and means for SAR operations pursuant to the contingency plan.

2) Structure of MRCC

Today it is of paramount importance to globally ensure safe navigation of vessels and safety of human lives at sea and minimize economic losses against all types of damage.

In the DPR Korea, a member State of IMO as well as a contracting government to the SOLAS Convention, such laws and regulations as Law on Maritime Administration, Law on Maritime Search and Rescue and Detailed Regulations for Enforcement of Law on Maritime Search and Rescue were adopted and put into effect and national maritime search and rescue coordination system established, maritime rescue coordination centre (MRCC) specializing in maritime search and rescue coordination organized thus ensuring prompt response to emergency and distresses alerts occurring at seas, rivers and lakes. In order to ensure unified control over maritime search and rescue operations, the National Committee of Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination is put in place, headed by the Maritime Administration of the DPR Korea, together with the NonStanding Local Committees of Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination headed by provincial maritime administrative offices.

The National Committee of Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination consists of representatives from relevant entities including national planning organs, ship operators, port/harbor/quay operators, public health organs, telecommunication organs, hydrometeorological organs, etc.

3) Major Activities of MRCC

MRCC, as a national maritime search and rescue coordination entity, has in place the real-time distress alert receiving system and distress and safety communication system through INMARSAT-C satellite system, COASPAS-SARSAT satellite system, MF/HF DSC and AIS under which it undertakes prompt SAR coordination operations in case of emergency pursuant to the contingency plan.

MRCC, playing the role of a SAR Point of Contact (SPOC) in the COSPASSARSAT system, operates the around-the-clock database of ship radio equipment for prompt distress and safety communication between ships in distress and rescuing ships and makes use thereof during search and rescue operations.

MRCC, in accordance with the resolution adopted by IMO at the 81st session of its Maritime Safety Committee in May 2006, has been acting as the national LRIT Data Centre in the integrated environment of the international LRIT system since July 2010 and established ship monitoring system based on LRIT system. Through the ship monitoring system, MRCC automatically collects information on location of all ships navigating in the DPR Korea waters, and the information is effectively used to ensure safe navigation and security of ships as well as SAR operations.

It also maintains relationship with national LRIT data centres of other governments. MRCC, acting as the Contact Point of Authority of Ship Security through Ship Security Alert System which was made mandatory internationally, coordinate rescue operations of those vessels transmitting pirate attack warnings on their international voyages in cooperation with other relevant entities of the country and international organizations.

MRCC, in its capacity as the Inmarsat Point of Service Activation (PSA3167) and National Registry of Ship Station, conducts registration of satellite and radio equipment of ships.

MRSCs and CRSs were established along the eastern and western coastline, based on which MRCC established integrated coastal ship monitoring system, thus making it possible to monitor ships within the range of 50 n.mile on a real time basis and improving promptness and effectiveness of search and rescue operations and ensuring safe navigation of ships.

At present, based on the experiences obtained from the course of completing the integrated coastal ship monitoring system within the waters of 50 n.mile, MRCC undertakes the initiative to research and develop and introduce long range VHF communication equipment which enables to monitor all ships navigating within the range of 200n.miles on a real time basis.

   Contact details Address :

   Mirae-dong, Phyongchon District, Pyongyang, DPR Korea

   Tel : + 850-2-18111 ext. 381-8047 Fax : + 850-2-381-4410

   E-mail : mrcc.dprk@sealink.net, mrcc.dprk@star-co.net.kp

   Inmarsat-C IMN number: 444540010 AFTN: ZKKKYCYX