Coastal Navigation & Navarea XIV Warnings

Radio Navigational Warnings
These are designed to give the mariner information relating to dangers and aids to navigation. Information contained in radio navigation warnings is primarily to assist mariners in navigating up to the entrance of ports.

The type of information contained in radio navigational warnings is not limited, but the following are some examples:

• damage to lights and buoys affecting main shipping lanes;
• the presence of dangerous wrecks in or near main shipping lanes and, if relevant, their markings;
• establishment of major new aids to navigation or significant changes to existing ones when such establishment or change might be misleading to shipping;
• the presence of large, unwieldy tows in congested waters;
• areas where search and rescue (SAR) and anti-pollution operations are being carried out;
• the presence of newly discovered rocks, shoals, reefs and wrecks likely to constitute a danger to shipping, and, if relevant, their marking;
• unexpected alteration or suspension of established routes;
• cable or pipelaying activities or other underwater operations constituting potential dangers in or near shipping lanes;
• establishment of offshore structures in or near shipping lanes;
• significant malfunctioning of radio navigation services;
• information concerning special operations which might affect the safety of shipping, sometimes over wide areas, e.g. naval exercises, missile firings, space missions, nuclear tests, etc;
• derelicts, where the information is recent and sufficiently accurate.
• drifting mines;