Technical Circular No: 014/2024
1. On 08th September 2024, a GPS rollover event is scheduled to take place which may cause some GPS units to show the wrong position and the incorrect date.
2. The GPS rollover occurs when the system resets its week number counter every 19.6 years which may cause some GPS units to produce data that is 19.6 years in the past, generating errors in both the GPS position and date.
3. The following Japan Radio Company (JRC) equipment models may be affected by the upcoming GPS rollover event and may require either a software upgrade or replacement:
JRC JUE-500 (Inmarsat Fleet Broadband FB500) JRC JLR-4340 (GPS Receiver)
JRC JLR-7500 (GPS Navigator) JRC JLR-20 (GPS Compass)
JRC JLR-7600 (GPS Navigator) JRC JLR-30 (GPS Compass)
JRC JLR-4331W (GPS Receiver)
4. In this regard, Marshall Islands Administration has issued Marine Safety Advisory No.07- 24 advising following to vessel owners/ operators and masters;
a. Vessel owner/ operator to contact their GPS manufacturers to determine if the equipment onboard their vessels will require a service technician to update the software and rectify the GPS equipment issue at the first available opportunity, but no later than 30 August 2024.
b. Vessel masters to make appropriate entries in the GMDSS and Deck Log Book and keep boarding pilots and port State control advised if the discrepancy exists on their vessel.
5. Vessel owner/ operators and masters are advised to be guided by above.
Enclosure:
Disclaimer:
This Technical Circular and the material contained in it is provided only for the purpose of supplying current information to the reader and not as an advice to be relied upon by any person. While we have taken utmost care to be as factual as possible, readers/ users are advised to verify the exact text and content of the Regulation from the original source/ issuing Authority.