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• Republic of Marshall Islands has issued Ship Security Advisory No. 01-17 (copy attached) informing changes in the Administration policy towards handling of Ship Security Alert System Transmissions. This Advisory supersedes SSA # 11-16.

• With effect from 01 April 2017, the Administration will no longer receive SSAS alerts directly from any vessels.

• Shipping companies are required to designate either an internal appointee (preferably the Company Security Officer (CSO) or Alternate Company Security Officer (ACSO) or an external, qualified third party to serve as the “Competent Authority” to receive all SSAS alerts and take appropriate action.

• The Competent Authority to acknowledge and respond to all test messages directly, ensuring the proper functioning of SSAS equipment and verifying the accuracy of the transmitted data without the need for acknowledgement of receipt by the Administration.

• Only the real SSAS alerts are to be forwarded by the Company to the Administration (RMI Duty Officer) at: dutyofficer@register-iri.com.

• Third party Competent Authorities are not allowed to contact the Administration directly. Where third party is appointed as Competent Authority, the third party is to inform the company and in turn company is responsible to notify the Administration immediately for cases of real SSAS alert.

• In view of above, the Administration recommends Companies to ensure that the SSAS unit is reprogrammed so that alerts are only transmitted to the designated Competent Authority and the Administration’s email address be removed from the unit’s program. The reprogramming must be completed prior to 01 April 2017.

• The CSO must remain a recipient of all SSAS transmissions along with ompany designated Competent Authority.

• The initial testing of new SSAS settings is to be completed with Competent Authority and document of successful testing will be reviewed by RSO auditor in next schedule ISPS code verification audit after 01 April 2017.

• Administration will continue to acknowledge alert from vessel till 31 March, where SSAS unit is not reprogrammed.

• Ship’s Security Plan (SSP) is also to be revised accordingly and no special approval by RSO is required for above revision.

• Ship Owners / operators and masters of RMI flagged vessels are advised to be guided by the attached security advisory and schedule the reprogramming of SSAS unit accordingly. The Administration has also advised that vessel operators may implement this changed procedure at any time prior to the official implementation date of 01 April 2017.

Enclosure:  

1. Republic of Marshall Islands Ship Security Advisory No. 01-17.

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