Maritime radio
Radio a MAYDAY
Find out how to radio a distress call if you are in imminent danger and need immediate help:
Your guide to communications
Requirements for using maritime radio
Except in an emergency or distress situation, maritime radio users must:
1 Be licensed
All marine very high frequency (VHF) radio users must hold at least a marine VHF operator’s qualification.
There are several levels of radio licences for marine use on ships. The highest-grade licence is the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) licence, which covers many types of communication equipment. Higher grade licences are most often required for radio operators on commercial ships.
2 Hold a callsign for their vessel
All marine VHF users must also be issued with a radio callsign.
The Coastguard Boating Education Service:
- issues and updates radio call signs for commercial and recreational boaties
- provides tutorials and learning resources for people who want to study for the marine VHF radio operator’s qualification.
For more information, see:
Using radio outside of New Zealand
Anyone operating a marine radio outside New Zealand’s coastal waters, beyond the 12 nautical mile limit, must have a Maritime Restricted Radiotelephone Operators Certificate (MRROC). This includes information for short range VHF marine radios and single sideband radios (SSB).
Radio Spectrum Management manages New Zealand’s radio frequency spectrum. It is part of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and provides information about licensing for vessels operating outside New Zealand’s coastal waters.