UN Agencies Call for Safeguarding Satellite Navigation Against Disruption

Image Credits: IMO
Aviation, maritime and telecoms agencies raise alarm over increase in jamming and spoofing of satellite navigation systems.

Increasing incidents of interference with aviation, maritime and other satellite telecommunications services mean States need to urgently enhance their protection of a critical radio-frequency band, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and International Maritime Organization (IMO) said with “grave concern” in a joint statement.

These cases of harmful interference are in the form of jamming and spoofing that disrupt Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) operating in the frequency bands allocated to the Radio Navigation Satellite Service (RNSS).

The joint statement, signed by the Secretaries-General of the three UN specialized agencies, identifies five key actions required from Member States:

Protection of RNSS from harmful interference affecting civilian and humanitarian operations.
Strengthening resilience of RNSS-dependent navigation, positioning, and timing systems.
Maintaining conventional navigation infrastructure for contingency support.
Enhancing collaboration between regulatory, aviation, maritime, defense, and enforcement authorities.
Implementing comprehensive interference reporting mechanisms.

IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said: “The safety of seafarers and shipping relies on the resilience of systems to support safe navigation and communication. Interference with Global Navigation Satellite Systems poses a serious risk to shipping activities, which could cause collisions and grounding. I urge all Member States to act to protect these critical systems.”

Ships and ports rely on GNSS for a wide array of applications relating to position, velocity and precise universal and local time which are used mainly for navigation purposes and, most importantly, on systems that are part of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS).

Regulation V/19.2.1.6 of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974, requires that “all ships, irrespective of size, shall have a receiver for a global navigation satellite system or a terrestrial radio