IMO eyes regulation for satellite tracking of ships
The International Maritime Organization said Tuesday it is studying proposals to track ships by satellite to fight terrorism.
IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee will discuss the proposed adoption of new regulations on long-range identification and tracking (LRIT) of ships when it meets at the organization’s London headquarters this week.
'It is envisaged that the LRIT information ships would be required to transmit include the ship’s identity, location and date and time of the position,' IMO said in a release on its Web site.
The organization said the key to the system would be that data 'derived through LRIT will be available only to the recipients who are entitled to receive such information and safeguards concerning the confidentiality of those data have been built into the regulatory provisions.'
