Maritime Surveillance Long Range Identification & Tracking [LRIT]
The LRIT-IDE is part of the global ship Long Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT) system designed and developed under the co-ordination of the International Maritime Organization (IMO, www.imo.org). The overall purpose of LRIT is the maritime security and safety. The LRIT system provides the functionality to request and receive position reports from ships with a worldwide coverage. The system has been operational since 1 July 2009.
The LRIT network is composed of the LRIT Data Centres that are in charge of collecting and making available ship position reports. The LRIT-IDE is the central module of the LRIT network that interconnects all LRIT Data Centres. The LRIT-IDE makes it possible for LRIT users worldwide to request and receive LRIT position reports from ships in an effective and timely manner.
The LRIT-IDE is also responsible for broadcasting Search and Rescue (SAR) requests to all LRIT Data Centres in order to provide SAR services with a complete maritime picture of all ships sailing in the vicinity of people in distress.
In 2007 the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) of IMO, at its 83rd session, accepted an offer from the United States to design, build and operate, on an ad interim basis, the International LRIT International Data Exchange (IDE). It was agreed that after the ad interim period a permanent location should be found for the IDE.
At the 86th session of the MSC (May 2009) the International Mobile Satellite Organization (IMSO), in its role as the LRIT Co-ordinator, was tasked to issue a Request for Proposal for the establishment of the permanent IDE. On 25 September 2009 the LRIT Co-ordinator published a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the "Establishment, Operations and Maintenance of the permanent International LRIT Data Exchange".
During the 87th session of the MSC the European Union Member States submitted a proposal for the establishment, operation and maintenance of the IDE of the LRIT system by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) in Lisbon, Portugal. The Committee welcomed the proposal and on 30 June 2010 EMSA started the LRIT-IDE Transfer project with the objective to become the IDE Operator by the end of 2011.
The LRIT Data Centres (DC) collect, store and provide LRIT information (ship position reports) to users worldwide through an Internet based network.
The main function of the IDE is the routing of messages between DCs and therefore it can be seen as the communication hub of the LRIT network. The IDE is also responsible for broadcasting messages and monitoring the health of the LRIT network components.
The IDE routes the messages to the proper destination by using address information contained in the Data Distribution Plan (DDP), a document maintained by the Contracting Governments and made available by the DDP Server, hosted at IMO.
The IDE archives the header information of all exchanged messages for audit and statistical analysis purposes. The IDE does not read or store any LRIT information (for example, ship positions) contained within the messages.
The IDE has a web-based Administrative Interface accessible to the IDE operators, the LRIT Co-ordinator and DC operators to perform administrative tasks.
The connection between the IDE and other components is established and made secure.
Policy and technical decisions regarding the LRIT system, including the IDE, on an international level are taken by the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC). The LRIT Ad Hoc Working Group assists, and also deals with the mainly technical issues.
Oversight of the global LRIT system, including undertaking a review of the performance of the LRIT system, and the operation of the Data Centres, is provided by the International Mobile Satellite Organisation (IMSO). IMSO has been appointed by the MSC as the LRIT co-ordinator.
The IDE is audited once per year by the LRIT co-ordinator for compliance in terms of performance and security of the system.
The LRIT Data Centres are the users of the IDE.
In order to be connected to the IDE, a Data Centre must be included in the LRIT Data Distribution Plan.
Status April 2011: