This priority is below Urgency and indicates a station broadcasting MSI (Maritime Safety Information), either as an important navigational warning or meteorological forecast/broadcast.

Safety calls and communications contain:
1. navigational and meteorological warnings;
2. ship-to-ship safety of navigation communications;
3. ship reporting communications;
4. safety communications for SAR - search and rescue operations;
5. other safety message.

In a terrestrial system the announcement of the SAFETY message shall be made on one or more the distress and safety calling frequencies using DSC (Digital Selective Calling) techniques.
The SAFETY signal consists of the word SECURITE – in the radiotelephony it will be pronounced as in French.
The SAFETY call format or the SAFETY signal indicates that the calling station has an important navigational and meteorological warning to transmit.

GENERAL:

1. In radiotelephony, the SAFETY message shall be preceded by the safety signal repeated three times, and the identification of the transmitting station.
2. In NBDP (narrow-band direct-printing ) - Radiotelex - the SAFETY message shall be preceded by the safety signal repeated one times, and the identification of the transmitting station.
3. SAFETY message by direct-printing telegraphy shall be used error correction techniques. All messages will be preceded by at least one carriage return, a line feed signal, a letter shift signal and the safety signal SECURITE.
4. SAFETY communications by direct-printing telegraphy should normally be established in the broadcast FEC(forward error correction) mode. The ARQ (Automatic Request for Repetition) mode may subsequently be used when it is advantageous to do so.
5. SAFETY messages from ship stations containing information concerning the presence of cyclones will be transmitted, with the least possible delay, to other mobile stations in the vicinity and to the appropriate authorities at the first point of the coast with which contact can be established.
6. SAFETY messages from ship stations containing information on the presences of dangerous ice, dangerous wrecks, or any other imminent danger to marine navigation, shall transmitted as soon as possible to other ship in the vicinity, and to the appropriate authorities at the first point of the coast with which contact can be established.

These transmissions shall be preceded by the safety signal.

Operational procedures for DSC safety communications on MF/HF frequencies

DSC, on the safety calling frequencies, should be used by coast stations to advise shipping and by ships to advise coast stations and/or ship stations.
The call should indicate the safety calling frequencies to transmission safety message.
The frequencies used for safety messages using DSC are as follows:

• 2187.5 kHz
• 4207.5 kHz
• 6312 kHz
• 8414.5 kHz
• 12577 kHz
• 16804.5 kHz

Transmission of safety message should be followed in two steps:

• announcement of the safety message,
• transmission of the safety message.

The announcement is carried out by transmission of a DSC safety call on the distress and safety calling MF/HF frequencies.
The safety message is normally transmitted on the distress and safety traffic frequencies in the same band in which the DSC call was sent.
The DSC safety call may be addressed to all ships, all ships in specific geographical area, or to a specific station.

The frequency on which the safety message will be transmitted is included in the DSC call.

The transmission of a safety message is carried out as follows:

Announcement:

• tune the transmitter to the DSC distress calling frequencies.
• select format calling on the DSC equipment (all ships, geographical area, or to a specific station).
• select on the DSC equipment keyboard:

1. specific area or MMSI identity number of specific station
2. the category of the call (SAFETY).
3. the frequency on which the safety message will be transmitted.
4. the type of communication in which the safety message will be given (radiotelephony, radiotelex - NBDP (Narrow Band Direct Printing Telegraphy)).
5. transmit the DSC safety call.

Transmission of the safety message by radiotelephony:

• tune the transmitter to the frequency indicated in the DSC safety call.
• transmit the safety message by radiotelephony as follows:

SECURITE, SECURITE, SECURITE ALL STATIONS, ALL STATIONS, ALL STATIONS or (Name of individual station spoken 3 times) THIS IS (Name of the vessel spoken 3 times), (Call sign of the vessel), (MMSI of the vessel) (Safety message) OUT

SECURITE, SECURITE, SECURITE ALL STATIONS, ALL STATIONS, ALL STATIONS THIS IS Spinaker, Spinaker, Spinaker, call sign Sierra 5 Lima 1 2, 278054321 Navigation warning 0845 UTC Position 450 36’ North 013 0 32’ East Sighted 3 20 foot cargo containers partially submerged Danger to navigation OUT

Practise on the MF/HF radio simulator

1. If necessary, switch on by pressing the ON/OFF button.
2. Press the Menu button.
3. Choose DSC CALL from SELECT MENU by using up and down softkeys.
4. Press the OK softkey when the selected bar DSC CALL is lighted.
5. On the window named SELECT TYPE OF CALL, choose AREA.
6. Approve the settings by pressing the OK softkey.
7. On the window named SELECT CATEGORY choose SAFETY by using the up and down softkey.
8. Approve the settings by using the OK softkey.
9. On the window ENTER WORK FREQ you are able to change working frequency or accept the default frequency.
10. If you accept the default frequency, approve the settings by pressing the OK softkey or, if you want to program another working frequency, press the CHANGE softkey.
11. If you selected the CHANGE softkey enter the working frequency by using the numerical keypad and accept by pressing ENTER.
12. Approve the settings by using the OK softkey.
    
13. On the next window named SELECT DSC FREQ you can select calling DSC frequency by using the CHANGE FREQ softkeys.
14. Approve the settings by using the OK softkey.
15. On the last window you can check all parameters of the transmission.
16. If you accept the prepared transmission press the SEND softkey.

Safety Alert is transmitted to All Ships on DSC. Follow this up with voice communication on the selected working channel commencing with the procedure word Securite.

Reception of a Safety Alert

Ships receiving a DSC safety call announcing a safety message addressed to more then one station shall NOT acknowledge the receipt of the DSC safety call, but should tune the radiotelephony receiver to the frequency indicated in the call and listen to the safety message.