IMPLEMENTING A MASK CALLSIGN MASKING SCHEME …

                      IMPLEMENTING A MASK CALLSIGN MASKING SCHEME

Purpose

To advise SOT and VOS Focal Points of the initial and recurring obligations for a country implementing a MASK
callsign masking scheme.


Background

    2. At SOT-IV, Geneva 2007, there was considerable debate regarding callsign masking for the VOS and
       the methods by which this could be achieved. A long-term solution dependent on BUFR for message
       dissemination on the GTS, and utilising an encrypted callsign formed from random data elements in the
       message, gained widespread support. This solution however cannot be implemented until 2013 when
       BUFR is mandatory. In the short- to medium-term two schemes were ultimately endorsed as follows:

            a. SHIP: where the true ITU callsign (REAL) is replaced by the generic callsign SHIP. This can
               either be done on the ship, or by the NMS prior to distributing the BBXX on the GTS. NMS
               replacing REAL with SHIP prior to distributing the BBXX on the GTS are required to have
               systems in place that will make the original (REAL) data available for monitoring purposes in
               near real-time to the monitoring centres, or

            b. MASK: where the true ITU callsign (REAL) is replaced in the BBXX sent from the ship by an
               alternative and unique callsign (MASK) provided by the NMS. NMS implementing this method
               are required to provide JCOMMOPS with a regularly updated list of their ships using MASK.

    3. Japan and the USA have adopted the SHIP scheme and are working towards fulfilling their obligations to
       make the original (REAL) data available in near real-time.

    4. Some other countries have introduced, or are considering introducing a MASK scheme. The remainder
       of this document is for countries implementing a MASK scheme.


Initial Obligations

    5. Countries considering introducing a MASK scheme must first provide the details of their proposed
       scheme to the SOT Task Team on Callsign Masking < sot-tt-masking@jcommops.org >. The Task Team
       will review the scheme to ensure that it does not conflict with:

            a. The official callsign series allocated by the ITU to another country;

            b. The MASK scheme of another country; or
        c.   Any other known WMO numbering scheme.

6. If the Task Team discovers any concerns with the proposal, the submitting country will be invited to
   review its proposal and re-submit it to the Task Team.


Recurring Obligations

7. Countries implementing a MASK scheme shall provide JCOMMOPS < mask2real@jcommops.org > with
   a regularly updated list of ships involved in their national MASK scheme. This includes updating the list
   of ships if there are changes to the assigned MASK of a ship, or ships. The list shall be submitted as
   follows:

        a. Ship starts using MASK or is assigned a new MASK:

             The list shall be submitted immediately. The list shall contain all active MASK ships including
             the new ship or new MASK that prompted the submission;

        b. Ship stops using MASK or changes its MASK:

             The list shall be submitted immediately. The list shall contain all active MASK ships and also
             the de-listed ship or former MASK that prompted the submission with its corresponding MASK
             end-date (refer to requirements in para. 9); and

        c.   Quarterly:

             All active MASK ships if there are nil additions or deletions from the last submitted list.

8. It is recommended that the quarterly submission to JCOMMOPS is made at the same time as the
                                                             th
   quarterly WMO No. 47 (Pub47) update to WMO, i.e. by the 15 day of January, April, July and October.

9. The following details shall be provided in accordance with the scheduling outlined in para. 7:

     Country-of-Recruitment      (1) The country that recruited the vessel for the VOS.

     Report-Date                 (1) The date when the current report was prepared.

     nmsID                       (2) Unique identification number assigned by the NMS (if applicable).

     MASK                        (1) The unique masked callsign provided to the ship by the NMS.

     REAL                        (1) The official ITU callsign of the ship.

     IMOn                        (2) The number assigned by the IMO to the hull of the ship (if applicable).
                                       The commencement date of using MASK on the ship in question, and
     Start-Date                  (1)
                                       reported in YYYYMMDD format.
                                       The final date of using MASK on the ship in question (if applicable), and
     End-Date                    (3)
                                       reported in YYYYMMDD format.
     (1) Mandatory in every report | (2) Either or both | (3) Required only when MASK on the ship ends


10. The callsign list submitted to JCOMMOPS shall be a semi-colon delimited text file (.CSV) consisting of
    one ship per line comprising the details described above and formatted as follows:

             Country-of-Recruitment;Report-Date;nmsID;MASK;REAL;IMOn;Start-Date;End-Date;
   11. If a non-mandatory element is not available it shall be omitted, but the trailing semi-colon must be
       retained.

                e.g. AU;20080326;;ABC1234;DEFG;9123456;200800325;;


   12. Submissions to WMO No. 47 shall continue to list ships with REAL.


   Action

   13. That (1) you note the above, and (2) VOS Focal Points in countries implementing a MASK callsign
       masking scheme observe the initial and recurring obligations contained herein.




Graeme Ball

Chair, JCOMM Ship Observations Team (SOT)
Chair, SOT Task Team on Callsign Masking


11 April 2008