International Code of Signals and the

IMO Standard Marine

Communication Phases

Relevance of ICS to the duties and

functions of the GMDSS Radio
Operator.
 LEARNING OBJECTIVES
● International Code of Signals
-Identify the contents of the
International Code of Signals; and

● Relevance of ICS to the duties and

functions of the GMDSS Radio
Operator.
- Explain the relevance of ICS to
the duties and functions of the
GMDSS Radio Operator.
 International Code of Signals
• The International Code of Signals (ICS)
is an international system of signals and
codes for use by vessels (ICS) is an
international system of signals and codes
for use by vessels to communicate
important messages regarding safety of
navigation and related matters. Signals
can be sent by flaghoist (ICS) is an
international system of signals and codes
for use by vessels to communicate
important messages regarding safety of
navigation and related matters.
• Signals can be sent by flaghoist, signal
lamp (ICS) is an international system of
signals and codes for use by vessels to
communicate important messages
regarding safety of navigation and related
matters. Signals can be sent
by flaghoist, signal lamp ("blinker"),flag
semaphore, radiotelegraphy, and
radiotelephony.

• The International Code is the most recent

evolution of a wide variety of Maritime flag
signalling systems.
History
• The International Code of Signals was
preceded by a variety of naval signals
and private signals, most
notably Marryat's CodeThe
International Code of Signals was
preceded by a variety of naval signals
and private signals, most
notably Marryat's Code, the most
widely used code flags prior to 1857.
History

• What is now the International Code of

Signals was drafted in 1855 by the
British Board of Trade and published
by the Board in 1857 as the
Commercial Code. It came in two
parts: the first containing universal
and international signals, and the
second British signals only.
History
• Eighteen separate signal flags (see
chart) were used to make over 70,000
possible messages. Vowels were
omitted from the set to avoid spelling
out any word that might be
objectionable in any language, and
some little-used letters were also
omitted. It was revised by the Board of
Trade in 1887, and was modified at the
International Conference of 1889 in
Washington, D.C.[3]
History
• During World War IDuring World War I the
code was severely tested, and it was found
that "when coding signals, word by word,
the occasions upon which signaling failed
were more numerous than those when the
result was successful."[4]During World War
I the code was severely tested, and it was
found that "when coding signals, word by
word, the occasions upon which signaling
failed were more numerous than those when
the result was successful.
History

• "[4] The International Radiotelegraph

Conference at Washington in 1927
considered proposals for a new revision of
the Code, including preparation in seven
languages: English, French, Italian,
German, Japanese, Spanish and in
Norwegian.
History
• This new edition was completed in 1930 and
was adopted by the International
Radiotelegraph Conference held in Madrid
in 1932. The Madrid Conference also set up
a standing committee for continual revision
of the Code. The new version introduced
vocabulary for aviation and a complete
medical section with the assistance and by
the advice of the Office International
d’Hygiene Publique. A certain number of
signals were also inserted for
communications between vessels and ship
owners, agents, repair yards, and other
maritime stakeholders.
• After World War II, The Administrative
Radio Conference of the International
Telecommunication Union suggested
in 1947 that the International Code of
Signals should fall within the
competence of the
Inter-Governmental Maritime
Consultative Organization (IMCO),
which became the IMO. In January
1959, the First Assembly of IMCO
decided that the Organization should
assume all the functions then being
performed by the Standing
Committee of the International Code
of Signals.
• The Second Assembly of IMCO 1961
endorsed plans for a comprehensive
review of the International Code of Signals
to meet the needs of mariners. The
revisions were prepared in the previous
seven languages, plus Russian and
Greek.
• The Code was revised in 1964 taking into
account recommendations from the
1960 Conference on Safety of Life at SeaThe
Code was revised in 1964 taking into account
recommendations from the 1960 Conference on
Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and the
1959 Administrative Radio ConferenceThe Code
was revised in 1964 taking into account
recommendations from the 1960 Conference on
Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and the
1959 Administrative Radio Conference. Changes
included a shift in focus from general
communications to safety of navigation,
abandonment of the "vocabulary" method of
spelling out messages word by word, adaptation
to all forms of communication, and elimination of
the separate radiotelegraph and geographical
sections; it was adopted in 1965. The 1969
 • The International Code of
Signals is currently maintained
by the International Maritime
Organization, which published
a new print edition
 Medical Signal Code
The Medical Signal Code[2] (incorporated in
the International Code of Signals since 1930)
is a means of providing assistance when A hoist of three flags
medical personnel are not present. While Flag
plain language is preferred in such cases Hoist
Code Meaning
(presumably via radiotelephone), where
there are language or communication
difficulties the various codes provide a
succinct method of communicating to a I request urgent
MAA
medical advice.
doctor the nature of the problem, and in
return the recommended treatment. Even
where there are no language problems the
Medical Signal Code is useful in providing a The pennant at the bottom indicates a
standard method of case description and repeat of the second letter.
treatment. There is also a standard list of
medicaments (medicines), keyed to a
standard ships medicine chest carried by all
merchant ships. The Medical signals all
begin with the letter "M" (Mike) followed by
two more letters, and sometimes with
additional numerals or letters.
Two, three letter signal
 SOLAS
poster no. 1
Phonetic alphabet
Alfa
A AL fah AL FAH
ATIS: Alpha

BRAH VOH
B Bravo BRAH voh
(1955: BRAH VOH)

C Charlie CHAR lee CHAR LEE

D Delta DEL tah DELL TAH

E Echo EKK oh ECK OH

F Foxtrot FOKS trot FOKS TROT

G Golf Golf GOLF GOLF

HOHTELL or
H Hotel HO tell HOH TELL
HOH-TELL

INDEE AH or
I India IN dee ah IN DEE AH
IN-DEE-AH

Juliett JEWLEE ETT or

J JEW lee ett JEW LEE ETT
ATIS: Juliet JEW-LEE-ETT

KEYLOH or
K Kilo KEY loh KEY LOH
KEY-LOH

LEEMAH or
L Lima LEE mah LEE MAH
LEE-MAH

M Mike Mike MIKE MIKE

NOVEMBER or
N November NOH vem ber NO VEM BER
NO-VEM-BER

OSSCAH or
O Oscar OSS car OSS CAH
OSS-CAH

PAHPAH or
P Papa PAH pah PAH PAH
PAH-PAH
 KEHBECK or
Q Quebec keh BECK KEH BECK
KEH-BECK
ROWME OH or
R Romeo ROW me oh ROW ME OH
ROW-ME-OH
SEEAIRAH or
S Sierra see AIR ah SEE AIR RAH
SEE-AIR-AH
TANGGO or
T Tango TANG go TANG GO
TANG-GO

YOUNEE FORM or
YOU NEE FORMor
U Uniform YOU nee form YOU-NEE-FORMor
OO NEE FORM
OO-NEE-FORM

VIKTAH or
V Victor VIK ter VIK TAH
VIK-TAH
WISSKEY or
W Whiskey WISS key WISS KEY
WISS-KEY
X-ray ECKSRAY [sic] or
X EKS ray ECKS RAY
or Xray ECKS-RAY

YANGKEY [sic] or
Y Yankee YANG kee YANG KEY
YANG-KEY
ZOOLOO or
Z Zulu ZOO loo ZOO LOO
ZOO-LOO

- (hyphen) Dash
 Digit Code word Pronunciation
Zero (FAA) ZE-RO (ICAO), ZE RO or ZEE-RO (FAA)
0
Nadazero (ITU, IMO) NAH-DAH-ZAY-ROH (ITU, IMO)
One (FAA) WUN (ICAO, FAA)
1
Unaone (ITU, IMO) OO-NAH-WUN (ITU, IMO)
Two (FAA) TOO (ICAO, FAA)
2
Bissotwo (ITU, IMO) BEES-SOH-TOO (ITU, IMO)
Three (FAA) TREE (ICAO, FAA)
3
Terrathree (ITU, IMO) TAY-RAH-TREE (ITU, IMO)
Four (FAA) FOW-ER (ICAO), FOW ER (FAA)
4
Kartefour (ITU, IMO) KAR-TAY-FOWER (ITU, IMO)
Five (FAA) FIFE (ICAO, FAA)
5
Pantafive (ITU, IMO) PAN-TAH-FIVE (ITU, IMO)
Six (FAA) SIX (ICAO, FAA)
6
Soxisix (ITU, IMO) SOK-SEE-SIX (ITU, IMO)
Seven (FAA) SEV-EN (ICAO), SEV EN (FAA)
7
Setteseven (ITU, IMO) SAY-TAY-SEVEN (ITU, IMO)
Eight (FAA) AIT (ICAO, FAA)
8
Oktoeight (ITU, IMO) OK-TOH-AIT (ITU, IMO)
Niner (FAA)
NIN-ER (ICAO), NIN ER (FAA)
9 Nine or niner (ICAO)
NO-VAY-NINER (ITU, IMO)
Novenine (ITU, IMO)
100 Hundred (ICAO) HUN-dred (ICAO)
1000 Thousand (ICAO) TOU-SAND (ICAO)
Point (FAA)
. (decimal point) DAY-SEE-MAL (ITU) (ICAO)
Decimal (ITU, ICAO)
 Semaphore Flags
• Semaphore Flags is the system for conveying information at a distance
by means of visual signals with hand-held flags, rods, disks, paddles, or
occasionally bare or gloved hands. Information is encoded by the
position of the flags; it is read when the flag is in a fixed position.
Semaphores were adopted and widely used (with hand-held flags is the
system for conveying information at a distance by means of visual
signals with hand-held flags, rods, disks, paddles, or occasionally bare
or gloved hands. Information is encoded by the position of the flags; it is
read when the flag is in a fixed position. Semaphores were adopted and
widely used (with hand-held flags replacing the mechanical arms
of shutter semaphores) in the maritime world in the 19th century.[citation
needed] It is still used during underway replenishment at sea and is
acceptable for emergency communication in daylight or, using lighted
wands instead of flags, at night.[citation needed]

• The newer flag semaphore system uses two short poles with square
flags, which a signalman holds in different positions to signal letters of
the alphabet and numbers. The signalman holds one pole in each hand,
and extends each arm in one of eight possible directions. Except for in
the rest position, the flags cannot overlap. The flags are coloured
differently based on whether the signals are sent by sea or by land. At
sea, the flags are coloured red and yellow (the Oscar flagThe newer flag
semaphore system uses two short poles with square flags, which a
Semaphore
Signal
End.