Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) in Kenya and Tanzania

A massive gap in the effective search and rescue coverage along the east coast of Africa and out into the Indian Ocean is to be filled with the inauguration (on 5 May 2006) of a new Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) in Mombasa, Kenya. The MRCC is to be commissioned by IMO Secretary-General Efthimios E. Mitropoulos during an official visit to Kenya and Tanzania.

The regional search and rescue system that has been put in place is the result of a resolution adopted by the IMO Conference on search and rescue (SAR) and the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS), held in October 2000 in Florence, Italy, proposing the establishment of five sub regional MRCCs in western, southern and eastern parts of Africa. A second MRCC under this initiative is expected to be inaugurated in Cape Town, South Africa, before the end of this year, while three more, in West Africa, are currently at the planning stage.

Along with its associated Maritime Rescue Sub-Centres (MRSCs) in Victoria (Seychelles) and Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), the site of which Secretary-General Mitropoulos will also visit during his stay in Tanzania, the Mombasa MRCC will provide search and rescue coverage in what had previously been identified as one of the areas suffering unduly from a lack of adequate SAR and GMDSS facilities.

LONDON (Dow Jones)–The first of three information-sharing centers, or ISCs, has been commissioned in Kenya, to facilitate practical measures to suppress piracy in the Western Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden, the United Nations’ maritime agency said Friday.

Two additional centers have been set up Dar es Salam, Tanzania and San’a, Yemen.

“The centers have been established to facilitate practical measures for the suppression of piracy and armed robbery against ships, by ensuring the coordinated, timely, and effective flow of information,” the International Maritime Organization, or IMO, said in a statement.

The Mombasa ISC will be co-housed with the Regional Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, which operates on a 24-hour basis and covers extensive areas of the western Indian Ocean, the IMO said.

The Maldives, Seychelles, Mauritius and Kenya will all report to the Mombasa ISC.

The Mombasa ISC will exchange information concerning the movement of pirates with the centers in San’a and Dar es Salam, as well as with the European Union Naval Force, the U.K. Maritime Trade Operations and the Maritime Liaison Office Bahrain, the IMO said

The Mombasa MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre), also known as the Regional Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (RMRCC) was officially inaugurated by the IMO Secretary General, Mr. Efthimios Mitropoulos on 5th May, 2006. The centre was established to coordinate maritime Search and Rescue (SAR) emergencies in the Eastern Africa Search and Rescue Regions (SRR). Watch keepers in the centre monitor distress frequencies, relay distress messages, acknowledge distress calls and assist in SAR mission coordination.

The Mombasa MRCC is operated by Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA) and covers the search and rescue regions of Kenya, Tanzania, Seychelles and Somalia.

Information sharing centre

The RMRCC is now officially operating as a Piracy Information Sharing Centre (ISC) under the Djibouti Code of Conduct to which Kenya is a signatory. The Code aims at repression and deterrence of Piracy and Armed Robbery against ships in waters of the West Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden. The centre which is operated by Kenya Maritime Authority became the first of three information sharing centres to be commissioned by the IMO Secretary General, Mr. Efthimios E. Mitropoulos on 31st March, 2011. As a designated focal point and piracy information exchange centre, the RMRCC together with the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres of Tanzania and Yemen facilitate practical measures for the suppression of piracy and armed robbery against ships by ensuring coordinated, timely and effective flow of information. The centres also receive and respond to piracy alerts and requests for information or assistance at all times

Maritime search and rescue (SAR)

Since its establishment, the Government of Kenya, through the Kenya Maritime Authority has continued to develop SAR operations-supporting infrastructure through acquisition of modern satellite and global communication systems that support the current and future plans of the rescue centre.

Channel of communication

The Mombasa MRCC provides a communication center where seafarers can call in for help in cases of distress while at sea, in a large area covering Tanzania, Seychelles and Somalia. The centre has an efficient and effective communication system that enables it receive distress messages from any vessel within our Search and Rescue Region.

The Centre is always on a 24 hour watch to ensure prompt receipt and dissemination of distress messages from ships plying the Search and Rescue region.

The RMRCC operational role

The aim of the RMRCC's 24 hour basis operations is to:

• Receive, acknowledge and relay notification of distress from vessels on a 24hour basis;
• establish and implement the National Maritime Search and Rescue Plan;
• coordinate the activities of KPA, Kenya Navy and other organisations when engaged in search and rescue operations both at the coast and inland waters;
• Enforce the Search & Rescue(SAR) plan for the national and regional area of responsibility;
• Request assistance from other Maritime Rescue Coordination Centers (MRCC’s) as appropriate;
• Keep case files for every SAR incident;
• Maintain inventories of Search and Rescue (SAR) facilities held by public, military and private agencies that are accessible to conduct search and rescue when need arises.
• Disseminate and share piracy information with relevant authorities;
• Protect the marine environment by monitoring oil spills. In addition coordinate and manage the National Marine Oil Spill Response Contingency Plan for both coastal and inland waters;
• Conduct regular SAR exercises and coordinate oil spill response drills and exercises

Our partners

We value the great support offered by our partners in the execution of timely search and rescue operations within the region.

• Seychelles MRCC
• Dar-es-salaam MRCC
• The Kenya Navy
• The Kenya Ports Authority
• Kenya Revenue Authority
• The Maritime Police Unit
• The Kenya Wildlife Services
• National Disaster Operations Centre
• Kenya Civil Aviation Authority

For More Information please write to:

The Regional Maritime Rescue Co-ordination
Centre (RMRCC)
P.O. BOX 95076-80104
MOMBASA, KENYA
Website: www.kma.go.ke

Email: info@kma.go.ke
rmrcc@kma.go.ke

24HR TELEPHONE CONTACTS

General: +254(041)2131100/6
Wireless: +254-020-8007776
Mobile: +254-0721-368313
+254-0737-719414
Fax: 0208007776

SATELLITE COMMUNICATION

INMARSAT Fleet 77(IOR)
: 00870-764626657
: 00870-764626655
INMARSAT C (IOR): 463400071
INMARSAT C (AOR-E) :463400070

A maritime rescue coordination centre (MRCC) has been launched in Dar es Salaam to oversee the rescue of people in distress at sea. The centre, located in the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) traffic control tower, has been established by Tanzania’s Surface and Marine Transport Regulatory Authority (SUMATRA) in line with requirements of international conventions on maritime search and rescue and safety at sea. Mariners can call for assistance or report others in distress on +253 (0)774 886295, (0)715 886295 and (0)783 886292.