Based on the results of the Rosmorrechflot’s inspection, conducted in accordance with the Regulations on the approval of equipment types and inspection of the facilities and centers approved by the Order of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation of 10.02.2010 No. 32, FSUE “Rosmorport” has obtained certificates of 31.01.2022 No. GMDSS-3/1-3246-2022 and of 31.01.2022 No. GMDSS-3/1-3247-2022 on conformity of the shore-based facilities of the Makhachkala sea areas A1 and A2 GMSDD coast stations with the requirements of the Order of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation of 23.07.2015 No. 226 and on possibility of their use in GMDSS.
According to Rosmorport, both coast stations were built and put into operation between 2001 and 2004. The Makhachkala sea area A1 GMDSS coast station earlier passed certification in 2010, 2013 and 2018, and the Makhachkala sea area A2 GMDSS coast station did in 2012 and 2017, confirming their compliance with actual requirements for the operation of this equipment in the GMDSS system.
In 2020-2021, the technical re-equipment of the Makhachkala sea areas A1 and A2 GMDSS coast stations was carried out. During the work, the receiving and transmitting equipment of radio stations, power supply systems, antenna-feeder devices, control center equipment were replaced; and the control centers of coast stations were relocated to the new building of the Makhachkala VTS.
The Makhachkala sea area A1 GMDSS coast station consists of a control center, which is located in the building of the Makhachkala VTS in the seaport of Makhachkala, and a base radio station combined with the A2 GMDSS transmitting radio center in the harbor Neftyanaya in the seaport of Makhachkala.
The Makhachkala sea area A2 GMDSS coast station consists of a control center, which is located in the building of the Makhachkala VTS in the seaport of Makhachkala, the receiving radio station located in the village of Sulak, and the transmitting radio station located in the harbor Neftyanaya in the seaport of Makhachkala.
The range of the base radio station of the Makhachkala sea area A1 GMDSS coast station is 17.3 nautical miles.
The range of the receiving and transmitting radio stations of the Makhachkala sea area A2 GMDSS coast station is 150 nautical miles.
The following activities are carried out using Makhachkala sea areas A1 and A2 GMDSS coast stations:
- keeping uninterrupted radio watch and radio exchange in the range of very high frequencies (for sea area A1) and medium waves (for sea area A2) of the maritime mobile service, with the constant possibility of receiving distress messages using a digital selective call and stable communication with vessels in the mode of radiotelephony;
- operational communication between vessels and the marine rescue and coordination center of the Federal State Budgetary Institution “Administration of Seaports of the Caspian Sea” to organize search and rescue operations;
- automatic execution of procedures for processing a distress call, urgency and safety using DSC technology with vessels at sea located within the area with boundaries determined in accordance with the criteria established by the International Maritime Organization for sea areas A1 and A2 GMDSS coast radio stations and for ensuring safety.
On average, more than 20 thousand vessels are located annually in the area of operation of Makhachkala sea areas A1 and A2 coast stations.
In 2022, operators of Makhachkala sea areas A1 and A2 GMDSS coast stations provided radio communication to units involved in the elimination of several emergency situations. In particular, the Makhachkala coast stations were used in resolving an emergency situation with the dredger Baltiyskiy, which was holed after the anchor cables holding the vessel were ruptured and the control over the vessel was lost, as well as with the Omsk 177 motor ship while taking it off the shoal.