Maritime time zones are well defined - basically every 15 degrees but with the odd wiggle in them - see http://www.usno.navy.mil/USNO/astronomical-applications/images_aa/TimeZoneMa p0210.jpg They are identified by a letter, as shown in the above diagram. They were created in the 1920s and I think are virtually unchanged since then. Note that the nautical date line is different from the international date line. Also, it uses GMT (i.e. UT1, not UTC) - I'm not sure if the tz database can cope with this, or if the difference (< 1 second) is relevant for most tz users. So they could be included in the TZ database if people feel this is good - it would make the database more complete. Perhaps in a separate file, as they are not associated with any of the continents? Tim Smartcom Software Ltd Portsmouth Technopole Kingston Crescent Portsmouth PO2 8FA United Kingdom www.smartcomsoftware.com Smartcom Software is a limited company registered in England and Wales, registered number 05641521. -----Original Message----- From: tz-bounces@iana.org [mailto:tz-bounces@iana.org] On Behalf Of Steffen Daode Nurpmeso Sent: 24 May 2012 13:52 To: Sascha Wildner Cc: tz@iana.org Subject: Re: [tz] time zone abbreviations - uniqueness and meaning "Sascha Wildner" <saw@online.de> wrote: |On Thu, 24 May 2012 12:11:32 +0200, Tobias Conradi |<tobias.conradi@gmail.com> wrote: | |> was: Re: [tz] Propose new zone for Crozet Islands | |How about just working out all your little "proposals" privately and |posting a _patch_ to tzdata* like it is good practice? Yes. |I for one will subscribe to the announce list because I'm really getting |tired of your seemingly endless, annoying dribble. And i *don't* wanna do that, because there were really interesting topics once in a while, and things good to learn about, and that's what it's about for me. And from what i know his last posts really revealed fuzzy stuff that could be improved (or de-improved). Here i'm with your first sentiment, though. I in turn got response from the German Navy, the second. Thanks to Herrn Kapitänleutnant Daub (Mr. Lieutenant Daub) and Herrn Oberstabsbootsmann Jürgen Haak (Mr. Master Chief Petty Officer Juergen Haak). For the German Navy: Wir können Ihnen hier lediglich Informationen darüber geben, wie die Schiffe/Boote der Marine es in der Praxis mit den Zeitzonen handhaben. So fahren diese in der Regel in den jeweiligen Zonenzeiten mit Erreichen des entsprechenden Gebiets. Sonderregelungen (z. B. während Manövern/Übungen) sind möglich und werden vorab bekanntgegeben. So the germans basically agree with the post from the former Navy member ("normally local area time is used", "special arrangements are possible and will be gazetted") if i recall correctly. It was the "we have the better Kung-Fu" mail. (And i was in doubt because whoever has the better Kung-Fu actually didn't really understand what Kung-Fu is about, but maybe it's simply a good job. Sorry.) Möglicherweise kann Ihnen aber das Bundesamt für Seeschifffahrt und Hydrographie bezüglich der rechtlichen Regelungen Auskunft geben bzw. zuständige Ansprechpartner benennen. Yes, i didn't have had a clue and should of course have asked the Federal Agency instead! The question is - should i really do that? Does it *really* matter what timezone a ship uses regarding to the timezone database? Maybe i have mislead myself. On the other hand i'll send another mail if some international law actually exists (which is what i have asked for), for completeness?! Thanks.