INTERNATIONAL  TELECOMMUNICATION  UNION
Place des Nations
CH-1211 Genève 20
(Switzerland)

Telephone National	(022) 730 51 110
Telephone International	+41 22 730 51 110
Tg:  			ITU
Telex:  		421 000  UIT CH
TELEFAX			+ 41 22 733 72 56
x.400 :			S = itumail; P = itu; A = Arcom; C = ch


RADIOCOMMUNICATION  BUREAU
  (Direct Fax No. +41 22 730 57 85)

Circular-letter CM/3      
                                                        10 June 1994
                                                                    
               TO ADMINISTRATIONS OF MEMBERS OF THE ITU


Subject:  Remote access to Ship-station Database


To the Director-General


Dear Sir,

1)     Some   Administrations   and   the   International   Maritime
Organisation  have  expressed a need for up to date  information  on
Ship-station  particulars to be made available much  more  regularly
than  it is now provided by the Edition and supplements of the  List
of  Ship  Stations.  This  information  is  deemed  crucial  in  the
identification  of  ships  in distress  particularly  now  with  the
operation  of  the Global Maritime Distress and Safety Service  that
encompasses as a means of identification the use of Maritime  Mobile
service identities assigned to ships.

2)   In response to these requests the Radiocommunication Bureau has
developed  and  put  into operation a Remote  Access  and  Retrieval
System  of data contained in the Ship-station database. The  system,
code  named MARS - for Maritime mobile Access and Retrieval  System,
is  accessible  through the ITU Telecom Information Exchange  System
(TIES) and allows all registered TIES users to query the MARS  data-
base for Ship-station particulars using the following criteria:

          Ship name
          Call-sign
          MMSI (Maritime Mobile Service Identity)

      Besides the Ship-station particulars, the system provides,  by
selection,  up to date information on Maritime Identification  digit
and International Call-sign series allocated to Administrations.

3)    Enclosed  is  an information and instruction booklet  on  MARS
along  with  a  TIES  user registration form. The Radiocommunication
Bureau   remains   at  your  Administration's   disposal   for   any
clarification and/or additional information you may require.


                                      Yours faithfully,


                                       Richard C. Kirby
                                           Director



Distribution:

-    Administrations of Members of the ITU



Enclosures (MARS booklet not made available electronically)


REGISTRATION FORM
ITU Telecom Information Exchange Services (ITU TIES)     October 1993
=====================================================================

                  TIES User Registration Form

The International Telecommunication Union offers to participants in 
in its activities the opportunity to register for the use of the 
TIES Services for Registered Users.  No registration is required for 
accessing the TIES open services (contact ITU for more info on this).

Please fill out this form and send it to the ITU Information Services 
Department using any of the folowing means: 

       - FAX............: +41 22 730 5337
       - X.400 e-mail...: S=helpdesk; P=itu; A=arcom; C=ch
       - Internet e-mail: helpdesk@itu.ch
       - Telex..........: 421 000 uit ch
       - Postal mail....: International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
                          Information Services Dept. - TIES
                          Place des Nations
                          CH-1211 Geneva 20
                          Switzerland
=====================================================================

Last name : _________________________________________________________
Given name: _________________________________________________________
Job Title : _________________________________________________________
Organization/Company: _______________________________________________
Department/Service  : _______________________________________________
Address   : _________________________________________________________
            _________________________________________________________
            _________________________________________________________
Country   : _________________________________________________________
Telephone : _____________________________
Telefax   : _____________________________
Telex     : _____________________________
E-mail    : _________________________________________________________
            _________________________________________________________

ITU Activities Participation (Member States, Study Groups, etc.):
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

Connection possibilities
[  ]  Direct dial - modem type and speed: ___________________________
[  ]  Internet - Host computer address: _____________________________
[  ]  In-house X.25:  _______________________________________________
[  ]  Dial-out to X.25  Packet network name: ________________________

PC type or Terminal   : _____________________________________________
Communication software: _____________________________________________

Signature (if faxed): _______________________________________________

                Date: ____________________

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