SMS SOS

PALMA
MAKING the sea a little safer will come a step closer today when the Mediterranean Shipping Association (ADN) introduces a new automated SMS text warning system which will simultaneously alert captains of seagoing craft of any impending danger.

Being launched at the first Maritime Alert Congress of its kind in Palma, ADN are keen to get this pioneering project up and running across Spain by the end of this month. The new development is the brainchild of innovative marine technology company, Marexi.

ADN explained yesterday that captains of pleasure craft are already notified by mobile telephone of the approach of storms, tidal surges, damages or collisions that have occurred in port areas, the outbreak of fire and of all other potentially hazardous incidents. The aim of the congress which is being celebrated today in Palma at the Hotel Tryp Bellver, however, is to convert the system into an automated process.

ADN wants to establish a basis for marine emergency procedure whereby warnings can be given to all vessel captains by text message at the same time, instead of their being notified by the radio's emergency channel 16.

The first phase of the project would be the setting up of a two-way warning system network, which from a central electronic control hub would allow the up-to-the-moment selection of key maritime warnings to be texted to all members of the Mediterranean shipping association, currently numbering some two hundred and fifty. Once the complete automated process is in place, it will mean that alert details issued by the national and regional Emergencies department and across-the-country Meteorological centres will be instantly fired off on SMS text.

The advantages of the automatic texting system, said ADN yesterday, is that the radio's emergency notification is somewhat limited in effectiveness as the time frame in which vessel captains will hear of the alert depends on whether or not they are on board and as to whether they have their radio connection to hand. “With the SMS texting innovation, the captains will be able to know of all potential hazards at sea and in ports wherever they are - at home, or at work,” said an ADN spokesman.

The Association has members in nearly all ports in the Balearics. They believe that the new text alert system will be able to ensure vessels in specific coastal areas of the islands will be galvanised into action in the space of just a few moments if faced with potential hazards.

The congress is expected to be a high profile event with attendance by the head of the Balearic government's Martime department, Bartolome Calafell; the top director of the General Emergencies directorate, Pedro Orfila; and the senior official at the Balearic Meteorological Office, Agustin Jansa. These experts will make a careful assessment of the introduction of this new safety technique.