FINAL REPORT - Stakeholders - Ofcom

The feasibility of utilising alternative communications for small commercial vessels has
been addressed in previous sections in order to ascertain a possible value for MF
maritime spectrum. It is at this point that it is pertinent to refer to the Government's
response to the Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs (ETRA) Committee's report
'The Future of the UK Shipping Industry'. The Government has stated that action is now
needed in order to reverse the decline in the UK shipping industry, and welcomed the
Committee's general support of the Government's shipping policy paper, 'British Shipping:
Charting a new course', which was designed to initiate the required action. The policy
paper outlined the Government's strategy for securing the future of the UK shipping
industry in the form of 33 action points designed to develop the UK's maritime skills,
secure British seafaring employment, enhance the UK's attractiveness to shipping
enterprises, and gain safety and environmental benefits. The ETRA recommended that
urgent action should be taken both to increase the number of vessels on the UK register,
and to increase the number of British seafarers. The Government agreed responding that
two of the central aims of the Government's shipping policy were to encourage UK ship
registration and to promote the employment and training of British seafarers. The
Government's shipping policy paper sets out a number of actions designed to develop a
shipping environment in which UK shipping companies would be encouraged to develop
their shipping operations and register their vessels in the UK, and to develop the UK's
maritime skills base by employing and training increasing numbers of British seafarers.
Any policy developed for AIP which is based on the cost of alternative technology, which
is significantly higher than the costs of the currently utilised technology may have an
adverse impact on the registration plans of ship and fleet owners. This may particularly
apply to the fishing fleet which as a consequence of declining fish stocks and necessary
preservation measures has suffered badly in recent years.
In many cases at MF and at HF and VHF the alternative communications mechanism for
voice telephony is always commercial satellite providers with attendant equipment, space
segment and registration costs. Fishing fleets rely heavily on MF inter-ship voice
communications especially when out of VHF range of the coast and other fleet members.
Distress and safety requirements might be handled more effectively using cost effective
commercial data communications based on adaptive HF technology if the IMO approve
such systems for participation in the GMDSS. However there would also be a need to
update equipment and pay for the use of the service.
Digital MF systems could be introduced on a national and non-interference basis without
jeopardising the interoperability with ships from foreign countries. Introduction of new
technology would in the long run require worldwide harmonisation in the ITU which is a
cumbersome and time-consuming process with very long lead-times for the transition to
new technologies. Developing countries are normally reluctant to changes due to the cost
implications. On a national basis, new technologies could be introduced on a trial basis,
but as has been pointed out before, there does not seem to be an incentive for the United
Kingdom to embark on such an initiative.
Another difficulty is that coast station equipment is only required in very small quantities
with the consequence that economies of scale cannot be achieved, irrespective of
whether conventional or more advanced technology, that better meets the needs of the
user, is employed.
It would therefore seem opportune for the United Kingdom to seek an in-depth European
review of LF, MF and probably HF spectrum as well with a view to ascertaining European
current and future requirements and to make the necessary recommendations and plans
for the future. This could be achieved through a proposal for an additional phase of the
Detailed Spectrum Investigation (DSI) process which has been a feature of European
spectrum management since 1991. With a European approach, economies of scale can
be achieved for regional solutions to regional requirements. Spectrum plans for the
introduction of new technologies can also take account of the needs of existing services
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