Maritime safety information leaflet
Updated 14 April 2022
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Weather broadcasts and maritime safety information
Her Majesty’s Coastguard is responsible in the UK for the broadcast of marine weather forecasts and Maritime Safety Information (MSI) on NAVTEX, VHF and MF and for providing the Radio Medical Advice Link Call (MEDILINK) Service.
Coverage
The primary method of disseminating MSI is by NAVTEX which provides coverage out to 270 miles. This service is complemented by radio telephony broadcasts. HM Coastguard provides VHF coverage out to 30 miles and MF coverage out to 150 miles using its network of remote aerial sites around the UK coast. Information about weather and MSI broadcasts from other European and worldwide national authorities can be obtained from: weather.gmdss.org
NAVTEX
MSI and additional weather information is transmitted by NAVTEX on 518 kHz in English at the following times (UTC):
| Cullercoats – 518 kHz (G) | When received and at: |
|---|---|
| Gale Warnings | 01:00; 05:00; 09:00; 13:00; 17:00; 21:00 |
| 24-hour Forecast and Outlook | 09:00; 21:00 |
| Extended Outlook (3-5 days) | 01:00 |
| WZ Navigation Warnings | 01:00; 05:00; 09:00; 13:00; 17:00; 21:00 |
| Tidal Surge Warnings | When received |
| Navarea 1 Warnings | 05:00; 17:00 |
| Niton – 518 kHz (E)) | When received and at: |
|---|---|
| Gale Warnings - | 00:40; 04:40; 08:40; 12:40; 16:40; 20:40 |
| 24-hour Forecast and Outlook | 08:40; 20:40 |
| Extended Outlook (3-5 days) | 00:40 |
| WZ Navigation Warnings | 00:40; 04:40; 08:40; 12:40; 16:40; 20:40 |
| Tidal Surge Warnings | When received |
| Subfacts and Gunfacts | 04:40; 16:40 |
| Navarea 1 Warnings | 04:40; 16:40 |
| Portpatrick - 518 kHz (O) | When received and at: |
|---|---|
| Gale Warnings | 02:20; 06:20; 10:20; 14:20; 18:20; 22:20 |
| 24-hour Forecast and Outlook | 06:20; 18:20 |
| Extended Outlook (3-5 days) | 02:20 |
| WZ Navigation Warnings | 02:20; 06:20; 10:20; 14:20; 18:20; 22:20 |
| Subfacts and Gunfacts | 06:20; 18:20 |
| Navarea 1 Warnings | 02:20; 14:20 |
| Oostende - 518 kHz (T) | At: |
|---|---|
| Gale Warnings (Dover & Thames) | 03:10; 07:10; 11:10; 15:10; 19:10; 63:10 |
| Weather Forecast | 07:10; 19:10 |
| Oostende - 518 kHz (V) | At: |
|---|---|
| Navigation Warnings | 03:30; 07:30; 11:30; 15:30; 19:30; 23:30 |
| Note: | Weather information broadcast from this site is from Belgian sources not the Met Office. |
| Malin Head - 518 kHz (Q) | At: |
|---|---|
| Gale Warnings (Irish Sea, Shannon, Rockall, Malin and Bailey) | 02:40; 06:40; 10:40; 14:40; 18:40; 22:40 |
| Gale Warnings and 24-hour Forecast - Shannon, Rockall, Malin and Bailey | 06:40; 18:40 |
| Irish Navigation Warnings for North, NW and W coasts of Ireland and approaches | 02:40; 10:40; 14:40; 22:40 |
If you have broadcast issues relating to Navtex, contact your nearest Coastguard Operations Centre.
Inshore waters forecasts and strong wind warnings
The 490 kHz NAVTEX service provides the Inshore Waters Forecast (IWF) and also Strong Wind Warning (SWW) on receipt. Current weather observations are broadcast once only at the next available broadcast schedule as shown below:
| Cullercoats – 490 kHz (U) | At: |
|---|---|
| Inshore Waters Forecast - Areas 1 to 5 and 18 | 07:20; 11:20; 19:20; 63:20 |
| Current weather observations – Eastern coastal areas | 03:20; 11:20; 15:20; 23:20 |
| Niton - 490 kHz (I) | At: |
|---|---|
| Inshore Water Forecast - Areas 5 to 9 and 19 | 01:20; 05:20; 13:20; 17:20 |
| Current weather observations – South coastal areas and English Channel | 01:20; 09:20; 13:20; 21:20 |
| Portpatrick - 490 kHz (C) | At: |
|---|---|
| Inshore Waters Forecast - Areas 9 - 17 | 00:20; 08:20; 12:20; 20:20 |
| Current weather observations – Western coastal areas | 00:20; 04:20; 12:20; 16:20 |
| Malin Head – 490 kHz (A) | At: |
|---|---|
| Inshore Water Forecast - Areas 13 to 17 | 00:00; 04:00; 08:00; 12:00; 16:00; 20:00 |
Note: NAVTEX provides information for its own area of coverage only. Make sure that you select the appropriate B1 transmitter identity for the area you are travelling towards as well as the area that you are currently operating in. You must also make sure that the B2 subject indicator is set to ‘V’ in order to receive 490 data from UK sites. As well as the UK Navtex transmitters, in some locations, the service is well served by foreign NAVTEX transmitters broadcasting the 518 service in English.
Radio and telephony broadcasts
Full MSI broadcasts will be made by radio telephony (R/T) twice a day. A new Inshore Waters Forecast, and any Gale or Strong Wind Warnings, will be broadcast every three hours. All broadcast times shown are in local time.
Frequencies
From 10:00 hours on 6 September 2017 MSI is permanently broadcast on VHF channels 62, 63 or 64. The use of VHF Channel 10 for MSI backup and pollution control remains unchanged. This prevents interference and allows broadcasts to be made simultaneously on two or more aerials. Because of the length of some broadcasts this system minimises the delay in transmitting the information to all mariners.
Navigational warnings
UK Coastal Navigational Warnings (WZ) and NAVAREA I warnings are provided by the UK Hydrographic Office. The primary means of disseminating this information is by NAVTEX and INMARSAT SAFETYNET. Coastal WZ are also broadcast on VHF and MF on selected aerials, when we receive them and at twelve hourly intervals (see broadcast schedules). Rig movements (RIGMOVES) and pipe-laying operations are not included within these broadcasts.
Meteorological information
A new Inshore Waters Forecast, and any Gale or Strong Wind Warnings, will be broadcast every three hours (local time). Shipping Forecasts for UK sea areas are broadcast twice daily. Gale Warnings for UK sea areas are broadcast as soon as possible after they are received and are valid for 24-hours unless cancelled. Any Gale Warning still in force after the 24-hour period will be renewed.
A Strong Wind Warning (SWW) will be issued if the wind speed in an Inshore Waters Forecast area is predicted to be Force 6 or more and was not identified in the previous Inshore Waters Forecast. SWW are valid only until the next new Inshore Waters Forecast. These warnings will be broadcast on receipt and may be included in the repetition broadcast. The legend ‘SWW’ will be included in the Inshore Waters Forecast to indicate that a Strong Wind Warning is in operation for the time covered by the forecast.
VHF
MSI will be broadcast by HM Coastguard on either VHF channels 62, 63 or 64, in the routines described below, at the times shown in the following table.
Routine A (VHF & MF)
Full MSI broadcast – new Gale Warnings, Storm Warnings and Navigation Warnings will be broadcast when received. Such warnings may be announced on Digital Selective Calling (DSC). The local Inshore Waters Forecast and Outlook, Shipping Forecast, WZ Navigation Warnings, SUBFACTS & GUNFACTS and the Three-Day Fisherman’s Forecast, will be broadcast when and where appropriate. (Three-day Fisherman’s Forecasts, primarily for the benefit of fishing fleets in the North Sea, Northern and Western Isles and the South Western Approaches, are broadcast from 1st October until 31st March).
Routine B (VHF Only)
New Gale Warnings, Storm Warnings and Navigation Warnings, local Inshore Waters Forecast and Outlook will be broadcast on VHF & MF when received. Such warnings may be announced on Digital Selective Calling (DSC).
| Broadcasting Station | Shipping Forecast areas | Inshore Waters Forecast areas | Broadcast times A broadcast (local time) | Broadcast times B broadcast (local time) | Broadcast aerials | VHF channel / MF frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shetland Coastguard | Viking Cromarty Fair isle Faroes | 1 - Cape Wrath to Rattray Head, including Orkney 18 - Shetland Isles and 60 nautical mile radius |
0710 & 1910 | 0110, 0410, 1010, 1310, 1610, 2210 | Saxavord Collafirth Shetland Fitful Wideford Collafirth MF |
63 64 62 63 64 1770 KHz |
| Aberdeen Coastguard | Forties Cromarty Forth Tyne Fair Isle | 1 - Cape Wrath to Rattray Head, including Orkney 2 - Rattray Head to Berwick-upon-Tweed |
0730 & 1930 | 0130, 0430, 1030, 1330, 1630, 2230 | Durness Noss Head Rosemarkie Windy Head Gregness Inverbervie Fifeness Craigkelly St Abbs head Gregness MF |
63 62 64 63 64 63 62 63 64 2226 KHz |
| Humber Coastguard | Tyne Dogger Fisher German Bight Humber Thames |
3 - Berwick-upon-Tweed to Whitby 4 - Whitby to Gibraltar Point 5 - Gibraltar Point to North Foreland |
0750 & 1950 | 0150, 0450, 1050, 1350, 1650, 2250 | Newton Cullercoats Boulby Ravenscar Flamborough Easington Mablethorpe Guys head Langham Trimingham Caister Lowestoft Cullercoats MF |
63 64 63 64 63 64 62 63 64 63 64 63 1925 KHz |
| Dover Coastguard | Humber Thames Dover Wight |
5 - Gibraltar Point to North Foreland 6 - North Foreland to Selsey Bill |
0710 & 1910 | 0110, 0410, 1010, 1310, 1610, 2210 | Bawdsey Walton Bradwell Shoeburyness Langdon Fairlight |
62 63 64 63 64 62 |
| Broadcasting Station | Shipping Forecast areas | Inshore Waters Forecast areas | Broadcast times A broadcast (local time) | Broadcast times B broadcast (local time) | Broadcast aerials | VHF channel / MF frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solent Coastguard | Dover Wight Portland Plymouth |
6 - North Foreland to Selsey Bill 7 – Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis 8 - Lyme Regis to Land’s End, including the Isles of Scilly |
0730 & 1930 | 0130, 0430, 1030, 1330, 1630, 2230 | Newhaven Boniface Needles Portland Beer Head |
62 63 62 63 62 |
| Falmouth Coastguard | Portland Plymouth Sole Lundy Fastnet |
8 - Lyme Regis to Land’s End, including the Isles of Scilly 9 - Land’s End to St David’s Head, including the Bristol Channel |
0710 & 1910 | 0110, 0410, 1010, 1310, 1610, 2210 | Berry Head Dartmouth Prawle Rame Head Fowey Falmouth Lizard Scillies Trevose Scillies MF |
63 10 62 64 10 62 63 64 62 1880 KH2 |
| Milford Haven Coastguard | Lundy Fastnet Irish sea |
9 - Land’s End to St David’s Head, including the Bristol Channel 10 - St David’s Head to Great Orme’s Head, Including St George’s Channel |
0750 & 1950 | 0150, 0450, 1050, 1350, 1650, 2250 | Hartland CombeMartin Severn St Hilary Mumbles Tenby St Anns Dinas Blaenplwyf |
64 63 64 63 64 62 62 64 62 |
| Broadcasting Station | Shipping Forecast areas | Inshore Waters Forecast areas | Broadcast times A broadcast (local time) | Broadcast times B broadcast (local time) | Broadcast aerials | VHF channel / MF frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holyhead Coastguard (A) | Irish Sea | 10 - St David’s Head to Great Orme’s Head, Including St George’s Channel 11 - Great Orme’s Head to the Mull of Galloway |
0750 & 1950 | 0150, 0450, 1050, 1350, 1650, 2250 | Great Orme South Stack |
64 63 |
| Holyhead Coastguard (B) (Formerly Liverpool Coastguard) | Irish Sea | 11 - Great Orme’s Head to the Mull of Galloway 12 - Isle of Man |
0730 & 1930 | 0130, 0430, 1030, 1330, 1630, 2230 | Moel-Y-Parc Calbeck Langthwaite Snaefell |
63 63 62 64 |
| Belfast Coastguard | Irish Sea Malin Hebrides Rockall |
12 - Isle of Man 13 – Lough Foyle to Carlingford Lough 14 – Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel 15 - Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point |
2010 & 0810 | 0210, 0510, 1110, 1410, 1710, 2310 | Limivady West Torr BlackMountain Orlock Loughnavar SlieveMartin Greenock Law hill RhuStaffnish Kilchiaran SouthKnapdale Tiree MF |
10 64 63 62 64 64 62 64 10 62 63 1883 KHz |
| Stornoway Coastguard | Rockall Malin Hebrides Bailey Fair Isle Faeroes Southeast Iceland |
15 - Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point 16 – The Minch 17 - Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath |
0710 & 1910 | 0110, 0410, 1010, 1310, 1610, 2210 | Torasay Tiree Glengorm Arisaig Barra Drumfearn Skriag Clettraval Rodel Melvaig Forsnaval Portnaguran Butt of Lewis Butt of Lewis MF |
10 63 62 64 10 63 10 63 62 64 62 63 10 1743 KHz |
| 19 – Channel Islands | Available on request via telephone |
MF
MSI Broadcasts will continue to be broadcast from the following MF Radio Sites on the designated frequencies shown below, with an initial announcement on 2182 kHz MF.
Tiree and Butt of Lewis may also include Gunfacts and Subfacts information on MF relevant to North Atlantic NATO exercises, but only when advised by the Ministry of Defence.
| MF Radio Site | Frequency | Routine A |
|---|---|---|
| Tiree | 1883 kHz | 08:10, 20:10 |
| Shetland | 1770 kHz | 07:10, 19:10 |
| Butt of Lewis | 1743 kHz | 07:10, 19:10 |
| Scillies | 1880 kHz | 07:10, 19:10 |
| Gregness | 2226 kHz | 07:30, 19:30 |
| Cullercoats | 1925 kHz | 07:50, 19:50 |
BBC Radto 4 weather bulletins
Radio 4 broadcasts weather bulletins as follows:
| Time | Frequency | Forecast |
|---|---|---|
| 00:48 | LW, MW, FM | Gale Warnings, Shipping Forecast, weather reports from coastal stations and the Inshore Waters Forecast |
| 05:20 | LW, MW, FM | Gale Warnings, Shipping Forecast, weather reports from coastal stations and the Inshore Waters Forecast |
| 12:00 | LW | Gale Warnings, Shipping Forecast |
| 17:54 | LW (FM weekends only) | Gale Warnings, Shipping Forecast |
Radio medical advice link calls (MEDILINK)
If the Master or Skipper of any vessel requires medical advice, they should contact the Coastguard on VHF channel 16 (156.8 MHz), VHF or MF DSC, requesting “Radio Medical Advice”. In an urgent situation, you should broadcast an Individual Urgency alert using VHF or MF DSC followed by a call VHF channel 16 or MF 2182 kHz, and Using the Standard Marine Communication Phrase “PAN PAN”.
The Coastguard will give priority to requests for Radio Medical Advice. A doctor from a hospital participating in the radio medical advice service will be contacted by telephone and will be linked to the vessel through the Coastguard via an appropriate VHF channel or MF frequency. While the call is being placed, the coastguard will establish additional information with the vessel relating to position, a description of the vessel, and if appropriate, brief details of the casualty.
VHF Channels 62, 63 and 64 permit duplex working and will normally be used for these medi-link calls.
Note: The radio medical advice service is free of charge. All radio and telephone traffic to and from The HM Coastguard Service is recorded for the purposes of public safety, preventing and detecting crime.
Requests for medical assistance
The master or skipper of a vessel requesting medical assistance or evacuation for an injured or sick person must seek Radio Medical Advice before HM Coastguard arranges any rescue. While the call is being placed, the Coastguard will seek to obtain some additional information and may put rescue resources on standby. In exceptional cases, the Coastguard may send a lifeboat or helicopter, but it is obliged to arrange a Radio Medical Advice call for the vessel in all cases.
Evacuation of a sick or injured person from a vessel
Taking into account the symptoms and implications of the patient’s condition, the doctor will determine a course of action. This could be to treat on board, proceed to nearest or next port, or to evacuate. The doctor and the Coastguard will discuss the need and priority, as well as the options, before agreeing a course of action. Medical evacuation cannot be arranged on the advice of a physician outside the Radio Medical Advice service. Therefore, all requests for medical assistance must be arranged through this service.
Please note: HM Coastguard has neither the facility nor the mandate to undertake commercial radiotelephone traffic.