Today, over 12,000 ships from over 140 nations participate in Automated Mutual assistance Vessel Rescue system (AMVER). This represents approximately 40% of the world's merchant fleet. Vessels send information about their locations, intended tracks, communication links, medical facilities and helicopter capabilities via satellite to a database at the U.S. Coast Guard Operation System Center. This system allows Rescue Coordination Centers worldwide to locate vessels near a ship in distress, in order to divert them to render aid.
An average of 2,700 ships are on the AMVER plot each day. The AMVER computer now tracks over 100,000 voyages annually. Over 1,500 lives have been saved by AMVER ships just since 1990. The success of AMVER is directly related to the extraordinary cooperation of ships, companies, rescue authorities, communications carriers and their respective governments in supporting this international humanitarian program to protect life, property and cargo at sea.
How to Participate:
AMVER reports allow the U. S. Coast Guard to track a vessel's position.
The AMVER program relies on ships to submit four types of reports: (1) Sail
Plans; (2) Position Reports; (3) Arrival
Reports and (4) Deviation Reports,
when necessary. The U. S. Coast Guard updates their database with the position
information from these reports and from weather observations, which allows them
to identify vessels in the vicinity of a ship in distress.
Sail Plan and Deviation reports allow AMVER to track and project a ship's movement placing the ship "on plot". Position Reports update the plot and Arrival Reports cancel it. The Sail Plan must be sent before sending Position Reports.
Use of Reported Information:
Information voluntarily provided by vessels to AMVER is kept strictly confidential
and is protected by the Coast Guard. It will be released only for safety purposes.
Also, as a free service to our participants, to satisfy certain requirements
of Title 33, US CFR, advance notification of arrival in US ports will be provided.
US Coast Guard Amver Home Page
Listings of AMVER awards:
http://www.afras.com/amver.html
http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-o/g-opr/amver/awards.htm
http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-o/g-opr/amver/specaw.htm