GMDSS Compliance for Barbados
Before Barbados can declare compliance with a GMDSS Sea Area, it must have the shore-based facilities operational. The Government of Barbados intends to establish a GMDSS Coast Station (8PO) at the Barbados Coast Guard Coast Station which would be GMDSS Sea Area 1 and Sea Area 2 compliant. The Barbados Coast Guard would operate this Coast Station and would be responsible for all the SAR, MSI, and GMDSS functions. The Government of Barbados would negotiate with the NAVTEX station covering its Sea Area to ensure that Maritime Safety Information (MSI) is available to vessels within its jurisdiction.
The Shore-based facility at the HMBS PELICAN Barbados Coast Guard Base 8PO/ 8PZ at Spring Garden, St. Michael, has been upgraded to become fully GMDSS compliant for Sea Area A1 and A2.
MARS (Maritime Mobile Access and Retrieval System) Database for Barbados
ITU MARS Database
Updated: 7 April 2011