Global Maritime Distress and Safety System

The Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS for short) is a compilation of technical facilities, services and rules for worldwide assistance in maritime distress and for the safety of navigation.                                                                                                                

GMDSS also consists of the following components:

Mobile Maritime Radio Service, consisting of marine and coastal radio stations capable of transmitting and receiving a distress call by means of voice radio and Digital Selective Calling (DSC).

Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon (EPRIB), emergency radio beacons that provide a distress signal to satellites, sometimes with position data.

COSPAS/SARSAT, polar orbiting and geostationary satellites (Iridium) for locating and receiving distress messages from EPIRBs.

Maritime Rescue Coordination Centers (MRCC), operations centers for coordinating assistance.

Inmarsat: geostationary satellites for communications.

Iridium: polar orbiting satellites for worldwide communications.