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Maritime radio

Maritime radio is a communication tool that allows skippers to communicate with each other, with locks, traffic posts, and the Coast Guard.

Marine radio antennas on patrol vessel
Image: Ruud Sies
Maritime radio antennas on patrol vessel

How maritime radio works

Maritime radio uses frequencies in the VHF (very high frequency) band, which is why it is often referred to as VHF. To use a maritime radio, you need an antenna and a transceiver set to the correct frequency. Frequencies are divided into channels, and there are clear agreements about what type of communication occurs on each channel. You can only communicate with other skippers or the Coast Guard if they are within the range of your antenna.

Communication

Along the coast, the Coast Guard has marine radio installations on land (shore stations). When ships sail within the range of these antennas, they can communicate with the Coast Guard via marine radio. This is very important in the event of an emergency because the Coast Guard is the designated authority to provide and coordinate assistance in the North Sea. For maritime safety, it is important that marine radio installations for the Coast Guard are also placed further out at sea, so skippers can contact the Coast Guard there as well.

Data

Maritime radio communication is privacy-sensitive. For this reason, the data is not stored and cannot be retrieved.

MIVSP Maritime Radio Planning

As part of the Maritime Information Provision Service Point (MIVSP) project, efforts are underway to install a maritime radio on the offshore platform Hollandse Kust West Beta, which is still under construction. This platform will go to sea at the end of the first quarter of 2025. For the Coast Guard, maritime radio will be operational by the end of 2025. Part of the installation will be immediately used by TenneT.