Vessel radiocommunications requirements

Commercial vessels should ensure that they can effectively transmit and receive safety, distress, search-and-rescue, and other communications with shore authorities and other ships.

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Vessel radiocommunications

Vessels should be able to transmit and/or receive:

  • distress alerts and messages
  • search-and-rescue communications with shore authorities and other vessels
  • safety communications, such as navigation safety calls with nearby ships
  • maritime safety information, such as navigational notices and weather warnings/broadcasts

Radiocommunications equipment

The following are examples of required radio communications equipment:

  • maritime mobile-satellite systems
  • digital selective calling radio equipment
  • emergency position-indicating beacons (EPIRBs)
  • search-and-rescue transponders
  • survival craft radios

Contact us for information on radiocommunications requirements for vessels

Mailing Address: 
Transport Canada 
Marine Safety (AMSEC) 
Tower C, Place de Ville 
330 Sparks Street, 10th Floor
Ottawa, ON 
K1A 0N5

Email: marinesafety-securitemaritime@tc.gc.ca or tc.navradio.tc@tc.gc.ca
Telephone:  1-855-859-3123 (Toll Free) 
Teletypewriter / TDD: 1-888-675-6863

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