5Interpretation

5 Interpretation

(1) In this instrument, unless the contrary intention appears:

AMSA means the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.

calling means operating a station to contact another station.

commercial operations: see subsection (2).

distress communication means a communication of a situation in which a person or mobile unit is threatened by grave and imminent danger and requires immediate assistance.

Note: The definition of distress communication is based on Section II, Article 32, Chapter VII of the Radio Regulations. The Radio Regulations are available, free of charge, from the website of the International Telecommunication Union at www.itu.int.

DSC (short for digital selective calling) means a digital system of communication used for the following purposes:

(a) transmitting distress communications from ships;
(b) transmitting acknowledgments of distress communications, from maritime coast stations;
(c) relaying distress communications;
(d) transmitting alerts before the broadcast of urgency and safety messages.

Note 1: For DSC, see the International Telecommunication Union’s Radiocommunications Sector’s Recommendation ITU-R M.493-16, Digital selective-calling system for use in the maritime mobile service, which is available, free of charge, from the International Telecommunication Union’s website at www.itu.int.

Note 2: The transmission of a distress communication indicates that a ship is threatened by grave and imminent danger, and is requesting immediate assistance. A distress communication is a digital selective call, using a distress call format, that provides the identification of the station in distress and its position.

fish:

(a) includes all species of bony fish, sharks, rays, crustaceans, molluscs and other marine organisms; but
(b) does not include marine mammals or marine reptiles.

GMDSS certificate means a GMDSS radio operator certificate, issued by AMSA under section 31 of the Navigation Act 2012.

Note: For the GMDSS radio operator certificate, see Subdivision 3.2 of Division 3 of Marine Order 70 (Seafarer certification) 2014, which is available, free of charge, from the Federal Register of Legislation at .