CES (Coastal Earth Station)

A coastal earth station (CES), also called a land earth station, is the shore terminal that links the maritime satellite network to the terrestrial telephone and data networks and to the rescue coordination centers for GMDSS traffic. In the Inmarsat system a ship’s terminal works through a satellite to a CES, which routes distress alerts, distress priority calls, and maritime safety information ashore. The CES is the shore half of the satellite leg that gives GMDSS coverage in sea area A3, the Inmarsat footprint roughly 70 degrees north to 70 degrees south. ALRS Volume 5 lists the stations, ocean regions, and access codes a ship needs to place a call.