4 However, some ships trade through many SAR Regions: cruise ships are an example. It is not administratively practical to hold a copy of such ships' SAR Co-operation Plans at each and every RCC, and neither is it practical to maintain on board extensive details of every SAR Service with which a ship may possibly come into contact.
5 As a simple, practical, and efficient solution to this problem, the United Kingdom has proposed use of the SAR Data Provider system and has designated MRCC Falmouth to hold the SAR Service copy of the Co-operation Plan for United Kingdom ships of this type and for similar vessels while in United Kingdom waters.
6 Provided that MRCC Falmouth holds the Co-operation Plan in question, any RCC co-ordinating a search and rescue incident (whether inside or outside the United Kingdom SAR Region) may contact MRCC Falmouth for details of the ship involved. If necessary, the ship or the Company may establish contact with the co-ordinating RCC, utilising MRCC Falmouth's extensive contacts with RCCs world-wide. MRCC Falmouth will be able to provide essential information rapidly to the parties concerned.
SAM Co-operation Plans database
7 It is, of course, essential to know where SAR data is held before it can be accessed. For SAR Co-operation Plans to be useful, their location has to be easily traced. The United Kingdom has instigated a simple database which enables the user to look up a ship by any of the three means of identification (name, callsign or MMSI) and so identify the RCC (s) which hold copies of that ship's SAR Co-operation Plan. Information in the database is deliberately limited: the Plans themselves are the prime documents and, operationally, the database serves only as an index.
8 The database is held at each of the United Kingdom's MRCCs and MRSCs. By this means any MRCC/MRSC can locate any passenger ship's SAR Co-operation Plan if it is held in the United Kingdom.
9 Other SAR services are invited to note the existence of the database; and to make use of this service if required by contacting any United Kingdom MRCC or MRSC.
Action requested of the Sub-Committee
10 The Sub-Committee is invited to note the above information.
