Long Range Identification & Tracking (LRIT) National Data Centre (NDC) Service.

1. Title

1.1 Long Range Identification & Tracking (LRIT) National Data Centre (NDC) Service.

2. Introduction

LRIT

2.1 The Long Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT) of ships was established as an international system in 2006 by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to track all Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS)-class vessels. LRIT regulations [MSC.202 (81)] apply to all passenger ships, including high-speed crafts engaged on international voyages, cargo ships, mobile offshore drilling units and vessels 300 gross tonnages and above.

2.2 The LRIT system, over the past four years, has allowed Canada to enhance its maritime security via improved Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA). The goal of LRIT is to implement a maritime security system that will enhance Canada’s ability to track Canadian SOLAS Vessels, identify foreign SOLAS-class vessels that are transiting within Canadian coastal waters out to 1,000 Nautical Miles (NM) and for vessels who have intended to enter Canadian port [out to 2,000 NM].

2.3 An active and accurate LRIT system also has clear safety benefits, most notably for maritime Search and Rescue (SAR). Accurate information on the location of the ship in distress as well as ships in the vicinity that could lend assistance will save valuable response time to affect a timely rescue.

2.4 The goal of the LRIT system is to implement a maritime security initiative sponsored by the Federal Government of Canada that will enhance Canada’s ability to track vessels outside of the Automatic Identification System (AIS) Very High Frequency (VHF) range that are transiting within 1,000NM off Canada’s coastlines or for vessels that have declared their intention to enter a Canadian port (out to 2,000NM). This initiative is clear in outlining the importance of the LRIT project with regards to improving Canadian maritime domain awareness for purposes of enhanced maritime security.

2.5 Consequently, LRIT appears under Chapter V of the International Convention for the SOLAS Conventions, and SAR scenarios are built into LRIT standards and specifications. The use of LRIT for other safety and marine environmental protection purposes was approved at the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) meeting in October 2007.

2.6 The LRIT Service Project is a National Project which includes the following:

a. The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) LRIT National Data Centre (NDC) Service (this procurement); and

b. The international LRIT System as mandated by the IMO.

2.7 LRIT involves four major themes:

a. Maritime Security: To ensure Contracting Governments (CGs) are aware of SOLAS-class vessels transiting within 1,000NM off their coastlines or intending to enter their ports;

b. Safety of Shipping: To enhance Canadian SOLAS-class Flag coverage;

c. Search and Rescue: To enhance SAR services; and

d. Environmental Response: To enhance the ability to track and identify SOLAS-class vessels who may be involved in an environmental response incident.

2.8 New LRIT carriage requirements reflect the international requirements adopted by the IMO for the carriage of LRIT equipment on board SOLAS-class vessels. LRIT in Canada will be implemented according to international standards and CCG LRIT Technical Specifications (Appendix “1”) and the Canadian LRIT regulations, ensuring Canada remains consistent with international SOLAS Contracting Governments in maritime security.

2.9 This Statement of Work (SOW) details the full requirements and the tasks to be performed by the Contractor to deliver and manage a complete Canadian National Data Centre service. A detailed description of the system and system requirements is outlined in the CCG LRIT Technical Specification (Appendix “1”).

2.10 The Contractor must already be an established LRIT Data Centre (DC) and have at least 2,000 SOLAS-class vessels reporting to them, and provide either the DC functionality or are the Application Service Provider (ASP) for 5 Data Centre and represent at least 5 Contracting Governments.