Channel crossing - new Channel VTS - VHF ch11

[STOL71]

I crossed the Channel on 1st May from Ramsgate to Boulogne. It appears there’s a new VHF channel in operation on VHF Ch11, called Channel VTS.
Dover cost guard called all ships on Ch16, then asked them to move to Ch11 for reporting. Suspect this only applies to ships on the English side of the Channel. Not that it affects small leisure crafts, but does anyone have more info?

 

[finestgreen]

https://msi.admiralty.co.uk/Notices...63a&mimeType=application/pdf&frequency=Weekly

Reporting System (CALDOVREP)
AREA:
The Reporting System covers a 65 n mile stretch of the Dover Strait/Pas-de-Calais
and is bounded by a line drawn from North Foreland to the border between France and
Belgium, and by a line drawn from the Royal Sovereign Tower, through the Bassurelle
Lt buoy (50°32′·80N 00°57′·80E) to the coast of France.
DESCRIPTION:
(1) CALDOVREP is a Mandatory Reporting System under SOLAS Regulation
V/11.
(2) Shore based facilities at Gris-Nez Traffi c (France) and Channel VTS (UK) are able
to monitor shipping movements and provide improved advice and information about
navigational hazards and weather conditions.
CONTACT DETAILS:
Northeastbound vessels
Call: Gris-Nez Traffi c
VHF Channel: Ch 13
Southwestbound vessels
Call: Channel VTS
VHF Channel: Ch 11
HOURS: H24
PROCEDURE:
(1) All vessels of 300 gt and over are required to participate in the Reporting System.
(2) Vessels of less than 300 gt should report to the CALDOVREP reporting system in
circumstances where they:
(a) Are not under command or at anchor in the TSS or its ITZs
(b) Are restricted in their ability to manoeuvre
(c) Have defective navigational aids
(3) Northeastbound traffi c should report to Gris-Nez Traffi c 2 n miles prior to
crossing the southerly reporting line.
(4) Southwestbound traffi c should report to Channel VTS when within VHF
range of North Foreland and not later than when crossing the northerly reporting line.
(5) Reports to the nearest of the two shore stations should be made on departure from
a port within the ITZs of the TSS.
(6) Special reporting arrangements can be made on a ship-by-ship basis, subject to
approval of both Gris-Nez Traffi c and Channel VTS.
(7) Reports should be made using VHF voice transmissions. However, when reporting
to Channel VTS, vessels may ful l the reporting requirements of CALDOVREP through
the use of AIS.

 

[Plum]

I crossed the Channel on 1st May from Ramsgate to Boulogne. It appears there’s a new VHF channel in operation on VHF Ch11, called Channel VTS.
Dover cost guard called all ships on Ch16, then asked them to move to Ch11 for reporting. Suspect this only applies to ships on the English side of the Channel. Not that it affects small leisure crafts, but does anyone have more info?

Actually, the VTS on channel 11 has been around for a long long while (decades?) and is operated by HM Coastguard, in the same phisical room as the MRCC service listening to channel 16.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk