Extended Operational and Trade Vocabulary

Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination glossary (page 2)

The SAR-coordination vocabulary: the Aircraft Coordinator and SMC roles, 406 MHz distress beacons, datum and search-pattern terminology, and the on-scene-coordination and RCC terms under the SAR Convention and the IAMSAR Manual. Grounds each term in the SAR coordination role or the search procedure it belongs to.

410 defined terms.

Showing 160 on this page (page 2 of 2).

N

Non-Distress Assistance: Assistance rendered outside the SAR Convention framework.
Norwegian JRCC: Hovedredningssentralen, with JRCCs at Bodo and Stavanger.
Nostrum: Italian rescue operation Mare Nostrum conducted 2013 to 2014.
NSRA Nigeria: Nigerian Sea Rescue Association, voluntary maritime SAR body.
NSSR: Redningsselskapet, Norwegian Society for Sea Rescue founded 1891.

O

OAS Datum: Datum assumption used for objects without sea anchor.
Object Drift: Drift specific to the type of search object.
Offshore SAR: SAR conducted beyond the territorial sea but within an SRR.
OOW Watch: Officer of the Watch maintaining GMDSS watch on the bridge.
Operational Phase: SAR phase between commencement and termination of active search.
OSC: On-Scene Coordinator designated under the IAMSAR Manual to lead SAR operations on site.
OSC Brief: Initial briefing issued by the OSC to arriving SRUs.
OSC Report: Periodic situation report from OSC to SMC.
Overhead Coverage: Persistent aerial presence over a search area.
Overland SAR: Land based SAR coordinated with maritime SAR when shoreline involved.

P

Pan-Pan: Urgency call category that may be transmitted via GMDSS satellite channels.
Parallel Sweep Search: Search pattern code PS using parallel tracks across the search area.
Parker Drift Model: One of several leeway models used in datum computation.
PCG Philippines: Philippine Coast Guard operating multiple Coast Guard Districts.
PIW: Person In Water, a generic SAR search object.
PLB: Personal Locator Beacon transmitting on 406 MHz Cospas-Sarsat; not GMDSS equipment.
Plot Sheet: Tabular and graphic display of search progress maintained by SMC.
POC Probability: Probability of Containment within the searched area.
POD Probability: Probability of Detection given coverage of the search object.
Point Datum: Datum represented as a single geographic point with circular uncertainty.
Polar SAR: SAR operations in the Arctic or Antarctic SRRs.
Portugal SRR: Portuguese Search and Rescue Region centered on Lisbon.
POS: Probability of Success, the likelihood the search object is detected.
Position Data Beacon: 406 MHz beacon transmitting embedded GPS position.
Prefectura Naval Argentina: Argentine Coast Guard responsible for SAR in Argentine waters.
PreSAR: Preparatory phase ahead of formal SAR commencement.
Primary Datum: Initial computed datum before subsequent updates.
Probability Map: Spatial map of survivor location probability used in advanced SAR systems.
Pyrotechnic Signal: Distress flare governed by SOLAS Chapter III and LSA Code.

Q

Quadrant Search: Subdivision of a circular search area into quadrants.
Quick Reaction Force: Standby military element capable of rapid SAR support.

R

Radar Search: Pattern using radar detection rather than visual lookout.
Radar transponder: shore-based AIS aid in pilotage waters.
Range Pattern: Search pattern oriented along the line of sight.
RCC: Rescue Coordination Centre, generic IAMSAR term.
RCC Falmouth: UK MCA MRCC at Falmouth, now part of HM Coastguard MOC.
RCC Stavanger: Norwegian JRCC at Stavanger.
RCCNZ: Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand within Maritime New Zealand.
Recall: SMC order recalling SRUs from a search area.
Recovered Position: Position at which a survivor or casualty is brought aboard a rescue unit.
Red Cross SAR: Volunteer SAR support provided by national Red Cross societies.
Redningsselskapet: NSSR, Norwegian Society for Sea Rescue.
Refloating: Returning a stranded vessel to free-floating condition by lightening or pulling.
Region Manager: SC-level officer overseeing SAR within a national region.
Rescue Co-ordination: Coordination of rescue assets directed by SMC.
Rescue Cradle: Lifting device used in helicopter rescue.
Rescue Strop: Helicopter rescue device for single survivor recovery.
Rescue Sub-Centre: Subordinate centre to an RCC, abbreviated RSC.
Resumption: Restart of a suspended SAR operation upon new information.
Rhumb Line Search: Search along a constant compass bearing.
RNLI: Royal National Lifeboat Institution, UK and Ireland volunteer lifeboat service since 1824.
RTCM: Radio Technical Commission for Maritime Services, source of beacon standards.
RTTI: Real Time Tracking Information used by SMCs to monitor SRUs.

S

SafetyCast: Iridium GMDSS broadcast service approved in 2020.
SafetyNET: Inmarsat-C broadcast service for MSI to selected sea or NAVAREAs.
Sahil Guvenlik: Turkish Coast Guard responsible for SAR in Turkish waters.
Salvamar: Brazilian Navy SAR service coordinating SAR within the Brazilian SRR.
Salvamento Maritimo: Spanish maritime SAR agency SASEMAR.
SAMSA: South African Maritime Safety Authority.
SAR Agreement: Bilateral or regional treaty supporting cooperation across SRRs.
SAR Convention: Search and Rescue Convention 1979.
SAR Convention 1998 Amendments: Substantive amendments restructuring the SAR Convention.
SAR Coordinator: SC, the senior national officer responsible for SAR system management.
SAR Mission Coordinator: SMC, the officer in charge of an individual SAR case.
SAR Operations Plan: SMC plan detailing assigned units, patterns and timings.
SAR Region: SRR established by agreement under the SAR Convention.
SAR Sub-Region: Subdivision of an SRR for operational coordination.
SAR Unit: SRU, a vessel, aircraft or land team designated for SAR.
SARSAT: Search and Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking, the US contribution to Cospas-Sarsat.
SART: Search and Rescue Transponder, with the AIS SART variant transmitting on AIS frequencies.
SASEMAR: Sociedad de Salvamento y Seguridad Maritima, the Spanish maritime SAR agency.
Saudi Border Guard: SAR component of the Saudi Border Guard handling SAR in Saudi waters.
SBM Drift: Drift component due to submerged buoyancy of an object.
SC: Straddle Carrier, examples include Kalmar AutoStrad and Konecranes Noell.
Scene Command: Command authority at the location of the SAR incident.
Search Action Plan: SAP issued by SMC detailing tactical assignments to SRUs.
Search Area: Geographic area in which an SRU executes its search pattern.
Search Endurance: Maximum time an SRU can remain on station given fuel and crew limits.
Search Object: Vessel, aircraft, raft or person being sought.
Search Pattern: Geometric track used to systematically cover a search area.
Search Sub-Area: Subdivision of a search area assigned to a single SRU.
Sector Search: Search pattern code VS centered on datum with radial legs.
Seventh Coast Guard District: US Coast Guard district covering the southeast US, Caribbean and Florida Straits.
Ship of Opportunity: Merchant vessel diverted to support SAR.
Ship Reporting System: Voluntary or mandatory ship reporting feeding SAR planning.
Shipboard SART: SART carried in survival craft under SOLAS Chapter III.
Sikorsky H-60 Family: Helicopter family including Coast Guard MH-60T and Air Force HH-60.
Sikorsky S-92: Heavy twin, 12.0 t MTOW, 19 passenger, 800 km range, offshore industry workhorse.
Single Drift Object: Object with one dominant drift signature, simplifying datum.
Situation Report: SITREP issued by SMC to authorities and stakeholders.
SMC: Safety Management Certificate issued to the ship under the ISM Code by RO on flag behalf.
SNSM: Société Nationale de Sauvetage en Mer, French sea rescue society since 1967.
SOLAS Chapter IV: Radiocommunications, including GMDSS requirements.
SOLAS Chapter V Regulation 33: Master's obligation to render assistance at sea.
South China Sea SAR Zone: Disputed area requiring careful coordination among multiple RCCs.
SPOC: Search and Rescue Point of Contact, the national 24/7 SAR contact for Cospas-Sarsat.
SRR: Search and Rescue Region established under the SAR Convention.
SRR Boundary: Geographic boundary between adjoining SRRs.
SRSC: Sub Regional Sub Centre, an alternate term for MRSC in some states.
SRU: Search and Rescue Unit assigned by the SMC.
SSAS: Ship Security Alert System mandated by SOLAS XI-2/6.
SSRS: Swedish Sea Rescue Society founded 1907.
Standby Force: SAR assets held in readiness at a base.
Stratospheric Balloon SAR: Specialized SAR for high altitude balloon downings.
Suspension: Temporary cessation of SAR operations pending new information.
Swedish Maritime Administration: Sjofartsverket, the Swedish JRCC operator at Gothenburg.
Sweep Width: Cross-track distance ensonified by a swath sonar.

T

Tactical Plot: Real time graphical display of SRU positions and search progress.
Target Object: Synonym for search object in some national doctrines.
TARM: Theoretical Area of Recovery Movement used in advanced datum models.
Telex Distress: Inmarsat-C telex based distress alert.
Terminating Action: Final closure of a SAR case file by the SMC.
Terrestrial GMDSS: VHF, MF and HF components of GMDSS distinct from satellite.
Three Sea Area Model: A1, A2 and A3 areas before A4 was added in GMDSS modernization.
Time On Top: Helicopter rescue duration over the survivor position.
Tomahawk Pattern: Informal name for an asymmetric expanding search pattern.
Track Line Search: Search pattern code TS along a probable track.
Track Spacing: Distance between parallel tracks in a search pattern.
Trailing Beacon: 406 MHz beacon deployed astern of a search asset.
Transit Capability: Time and range an SRU can transit to the search area.
Turn Bearing: Reciprocal bearing used to complete a pattern leg.
Two Vessel Coordinated Search: PS or CSC variant employing two surface SRUs.

U

UAE National Search and Rescue Center: UAE national SAR coordination centre under General Civil Aviation Authority.
Uncertainty Area: Region of positional uncertainty around the datum.
Uncertainty Phase: First IAMSAR emergency phase reflecting concern about a vessel.
Unified Command: Multi-agency command structure used in mass rescue operations.
Unlocated Beacon: 406 MHz alert without resolved position pending further passes.
Unmanned Aerial System: UAS increasingly used as SRU in coastal SAR.
USAR: Urban Search and Rescue, distinct from maritime SAR.
USCG: United States Coast Guard, US flag and PSC authority.
USCG District Eight: USCG district covering the Gulf of Mexico and inland rivers.
USCG District Eleven: USCG district covering California and the eastern Pacific.
USCG District Five: USCG district covering the mid-Atlantic seaboard.
USCG District Fourteen: USCG district covering Hawaii and the central Pacific.
USCG District Nine: USCG district covering the Great Lakes.
USCG District One: USCG district covering New England waters.
USCG District Seventeen: USCG district covering Alaska and the Arctic.
USCG District Thirteen: USCG district covering the Pacific Northwest.
USMCC: United States Mission Control Centre for Cospas-Sarsat at NOAA Suitland.
UTC Timestamp: Universal Coordinated Time used to record all SAR events.

V

VHF DSC: Channel 70 Digital Selective Calling for short range distress alerting.
VHF Watch: Continuous monitoring of Channel 16 by GMDSS-equipped vessels.
Visual Lookout: Crew member maintaining visual search from an SRU.
Volga Patrol Vessel: Russian Coast Guard surface SAR asset of the Volga class.
Volunteer Search and Rescue: SAR organizations staffed by trained volunteers.
VS Pattern: Sector Search pattern code under IAMSAR.

W

Watchkeeper Log: Log maintained at an RCC documenting every action during a case.
Wave Height Correction: Adjustment to detection range based on sea state.
Weather routing: Optimum-track routing per environmental forecasts.
Wreckage Drift: Drift specific to floating wreckage as a search object.

X

X Band SART: SART responding to 9 GHz radar pulses.

Y

Yacht Distress: SAR cases involving pleasure craft requiring specific coordination.
Yokohama MRCC: MRCC operated by the Japan Coast Guard at Yokohama.

Z

Zenith Pass: Satellite pass directly overhead a beacon, providing best Doppler fix.
Zone Coordinator: Coordinator within an MRCC responsible for one geographic zone.