What to check on a SSAS (Ship Security Alert System).
SSAS is deliberately the quiet cousin of the ship's other distress systems. A DSC distress call or an EPIRB is meant to be loud and obvious, alerting everyone in range. SSAS does the opposite: activating it gives no audible or visible indication anywhere on the ship, so a crew member can trigger it during a hijacking or piracy attack without the attackers knowing. The alert goes only to the company's designated security contact point and the flag state administration, who then decide how to respond, including notifying nearby naval or…
What sets SSAS apart
SSAS is deliberately the quiet cousin of the ship's other distress systems. A DSC distress call or an EPIRB is meant to be loud and obvious, alerting everyone in range. SSAS does the opposite: activating it gives no audible or visible indication anywhere on the ship, so a crew member can trigger it during a hijacking or piracy attack without the attackers knowing. The alert goes only to the company's designated security contact point and the flag state administration, who then decide how to respond, including notifying nearby naval or coast guard assets. It is a security tool, not a general distress system, and it is required precisely because SOLAS-regulated ships are considered a piracy and terrorism target class of their own.
Main components
Activation points
At least two covert activation points are required, typically one on the bridge and one in another location such as the master's cabin or engine control room, so that a single compromised location does not defeat the system.
Ship security alert unit
The core unit that generates the alert message, containing the ship's identity, position and a security alert code, and transmits it via a satellite communication terminal independent of the ship's normal, visible communications traffic.
Communication link
Usually piggybacks on the Inmarsat or other satellite terminal already fitted for GMDSS, but the transmission itself produces no on-board indication, unlike a normal distress alert which triggers audible alarms throughout the ship.
Shore-side reception
The alert routes to a pre-programmed list of recipients — the company security officer and the flag administration — who verify the alert and coordinate a response, rather than the message going out over open distress frequencies.
Regulations and class
SSAS is mandated under SOLAS Chapter XI-2, Regulation 6, part of the ISPS Code framework. All passenger ships, cargo ships of 500 gross tonnage and above, and mobile offshore drilling units engaged on international voyages must carry it. Flag state administrations set the specific programming and testing procedures; the system's activation points, transmission testing, and the confidentiality of its wiring diagram are all subject to verification during ISSC (International Ship Security Certificate) audits, and unauthorized crew must not be able to identify where the activation points are from documentation left in plain view.
Typical faults
| Fault | Consequence |
|---|---|
| Activation point wiring exposed or documented in accessible manuals | Defeats the covert design; an attacker familiar with the ship can disable it |
| Satellite terminal antenna fault shared with other communications | SSAS transmission fails silently along with normal comms, with no on-board alarm to flag it |
| Test alerts not properly coded as tests | Triggers a real security response ashore, including possible naval tasking, for a routine drill |
| Contact list at the company or flag state not kept current | Genuine alert reaches an outdated recipient, delaying any response |
What to look for in a supplier
- A clean installation that keeps activation point wiring separate from documentation available to unauthorized personnel.
- Confirmed compatibility with the ship's existing satellite communication terminal rather than a separate, conspicuous antenna.
- A tested procedure for coded test transmissions that will not be mistaken for a live alert ashore.
Confirm the flag state's test procedure with the company security officer before every SSAS test — an uncoded test alert has sent real responses to sea before now.