Hong Kong Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (HKMRCC) is responsible for coordinating maritime search and rescue (SAR) in the Hong Kong maritime Search and Rescue Region (SRR), which comprises most parts of the South China Sea, bounded by latitude 10°N and longitude 120°E.

In response to a report of a suspected or actual distress situation of a vessel, Hong Kong MRCC will initiate a series of basic rescue control and co-ordination functions. Initially the officers will investigate and verify the reported distress to determine if a SAR response is needed. If the need is validated, efforts will be directed towards determining the type of assistance required taking into consideration such variables as the nature of the distress, assistance involved, and the availability of SAR resources.

Once the need for a SAR response has been verified and the type of response selected, a SAR plan will be developed. Officers will then co-ordinate to obtain SAR resources to execute the SAR plan. Officers will be fully engaged in tracking the progress of each resource responding to the mission, updating participants on any changes to the distress situation, co-ordinating support requirement and documenting all activity associated with the mission. When all rescue activity has terminated, a report on the mission will be prepared and sent to the Director of Marine.

Hong Kong MRCC neither possesses nor has direct command over SAR resources. The role of Hong Kong MRCC is to co-ordinate all available SAR resources to perform a maritime search and rescue mission.

For SAR cases within Hong Kong waters, Hong Kong MRCC will draw resources from Government Flying Service (GFS), Hong Kong Marine Police (Marpol), Fire Services Department (FSD) and Marine Department (MD).

For help in the distant parts of our Search and Rescue Region where Government resources cannot reach, the Hong Kong MRCC must rely upon the assistance of merchants ships and fishing vessel in the vicinity of the distress. Sometimes, according to prevailing situation, resources of other governments, such as Vietnam, Philippines and Mainland China, would also be tasked to render assistance.

A search and rescue satellite system (COSPAS-SARSAT) is installed in Hong Kong MRCC to detect distress signals emitted from ship's Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB). When a ship in distress, the EPIRB would be activated. Its signal will be picked by the dedicated search and rescue satellites, which will then download the alert to the MRCC.

Hong Kong MRCC is also equipped with a system called Digital Selective Calling (DSC) system to receive distress signals generated from ship's DSC.

To communicate with ships, Hong Kong MRCC is equipped with high-powered radio transceiver, marine VHF, Inmarsat telephone and facsimile. All these equipment are aimed to communicate effectively with ships in an urgent situation.

To augment its extensive communications capability, Hong Kong MRCC is also equipped with a large number of direct lines or "hotline" telephones to agencies that can support SAR operations. For example, hotlines go to control rooms of Marine Police, the Air Traffic Control at Chek Lap Kok, Government Flying Service and Fire Services Department.

The following information should be included in your message when your vessel encounters emergency situation or in distress :

• ship's name and call sign
• position
• time of incident
• nature of incident
• number of crew on board
• number of injury and their condition
• what assistance required
• the extent of ship's damage
• the information and condition of other ship involved in the incident
• the prevailing weather condition
• the ship's particulars such as the length and breadth; color of the hull, funnel, deck and superstructure; any derricks or cranes; the type of the ship and etc.
• the owner and ship agent's names, address and the method to contact them