The office

Italy joined the International COSPAS-SARSAT Organisation in 1988 as a Participating Country and Provider of the Land Segment (LUT-MCC). Via the Mission Control Centre, air, sea and ground distress signals received by the Local User Terminal (LUT) satellites are transmitted to the SPOC (Sar Point of Contact) for subsequent rescue operations. The service area assigned to Italy includes, in addition to the Italian SAR area, those of Central and Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean, part of Middle East Asia and part of Central and Eastern Africa, from Latitude about 5° South to Latitude about 50° North.

The Italian body managing this service is the Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri - Dipartimento della Protezione Civile, in cooperation with the Comando Generale delle Capitanerie di Porto - Guardia Costiera.

The Italian Satellite Station Cospas-Sarsat is located in Bari (Latitude 41° 08'.4 North and Longitude 016° 50'.4 East) at the Italian Coast Guard Naval Station and became operational on 1 June 1996 with Prime Ministerial Decree of 9 May 1996, operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Equipped with two dedicated antennas, one for the LEOSAR system and one for the GEOSAR system, the Satellite Station is able to receive and locate danger transmitters (EPIRB-ELT-PLB) transmitting on the 406 MHz digital frequency.

The communication lines used for handling information to other MCCs or SPOC are:
  • FTP VPN
  • AFTN
  • FAX
  • EMAIL
  • PHONE

Dedicated telephone lines are also available (point-to-point) for immediate communication with the IMRCC (Italian Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) and the Civil Protection Department. With the signature of the agreement signed in Paris on 14-11-1988 and confirmed with a letter of adhesion by the Minister of Civil Protection on 04-12-1990, Italy undertook to broadcast distress alarm messages to all the nations included in its Service Area, which are:

EUROPE
  • Albania
  • Bosnia-Herzegovina
  • Croatia
  • Italy
  • North Macedonia
  • Montenegro
  • Kosovo
  • Malta
  • Slovenia
  • Serbia
  • Vatican City

ASIA
  • Israel
  • Palestine
AFRICA
  • Eritrea
  • Ethiopia
  • Kenya
  • Somalia
  • Sudan
  • South Sudan