The Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) is an mandatory international automated ship-to-shore alert system. It uses satellite and radio technology to ensure that vessels, regardless of location, can automatically signal distress and receive safety updates, facilitating rapid rescue response coordinated by shore-based authorities rather than relying solely on ship-to-ship alerting.

Core GMDSS Functions:

GMDSS ensures nine key functions, including transmitting/receiving ship-to-shore and ship-to-ship distress alerts, maritime safety information (MSI) broadcasting, and general radio communication.