UN Agencies Call for Protection of Satellite Navigation

Increasing incidents of interference with aviation, maritime and other satellite telecommunications services mean States need to urgently enhance their protection of a critical radio-frequency band, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and IMO said in a joint statement.

These cases of harmful interference are in the form of jamming and spoofing that disrupt Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) operating in the frequency bands allocated to the Radio Navigation Satellite Service (RNSS).  

The joint statement, signed by the Secretaries-General of the three UN agencies, identifies five key actions required from Member States:

• Protection of RNSS from harmful interference affecting civilian and humanitarian operations.

• Strengthening resilience of RNSS-dependent navigation, positioning, and timing systems.

• Maintaining conventional navigation infrastructure for contingency support.

• Enhancing collaboration between regulatory, aviation, maritime, defense, and enforcement authorities.

• Implementing comprehensive interference reporting mechanisms.

Ships and ports rely on GNSS for a wide array of applications relating to position, velocity and precise universal and local time which are used mainly for navigation purposes and, most importantly, on systems that are part of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS).  

Regulation V/19.2.1.6 of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974, requires that “all ships, irrespective of size, shall have a receiver for a global navigation satellite system or a terrestrial radio navigation system, or other means, suitable for use at all times throughout the intended voyage to establish and update the ship’s position by automatic means.”  

IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee, through MSC.1/Circ.1644, has “urged Member States to take actions necessary to minimize interference coming from their territory, as required under the ITU Radio Regulations; consider issuing warning notices or advisories to mariners specifying the time periods and areas impacted by any known interferences to minimize negative effects upon maritime operations; and consider enacting measures that prevent unauthorized transmissions on recognized satellite navigation system frequencies.”

IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said: “The safety of seafarers and shipping relies on the resilience of systems to support safe navigation and communication. Interference with Global Navigation Satellite Systems poses a serious risk to shipping activities, which could cause collisions and grounding. I urge all Member States to act to protect these critical systems.”