Developed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in the 1970s in response to numerous maritime disasters (including the Titanic’s sinking years earlier), the full implementation of the GMDSS took place in February 1999 and redefined how distress communications were sent. For the first time, ships far from land were able to send alerts directly to shore, rather than just to other ships, allowing shore-based facilities to take responsibility for coordinating necessary rescue efforts. In addition to improving ship distress communications, GMDSS also provided for the automatic broadcast of Maritime Safety Information (MSI), allowing ships to navigate the waters more safely.

Today, the GMDSS is an integrated communications system that helps ensure that ships in distress do not disappear at sea, saving the lives of countless mariners. Under GMDSS requirements, all ships are required to be equipped with a variety of communications instruments, including satellite terminals, satellite emergency position-indicating radiobeacons (EPIRBs), and NAVTEX receivers, to automatically receive shipping safety information.