MMSi and VHF licencing questions Netherlands

[Matwill]

Hi Guys,

I have a bit of a dilemma and was looking for help on how to fix this,

I'm an Australian living full time in the netherlands, I recently bought a boat and tried to get my MMSI from the agentshaap in NL. They have said my Australian commercial LROCP (long range vhf) licence from Australia is not a valid cert that can be used to get a station licence.

Im guessing my 2 options are to suck up the insult and get another cert that is valid in NL, then reapply for the station licence (this might cost 100-400 euro plus an annual registration fee of i think 40 euro)

Or I could register my vessel on the Australian register which costs 1000 euro (1500 AUD) (with no ongoing fees) and obtain an MMSI that way.

Or is there a third option. I keep hearing how the ofcom is a cheap way of obtaining an MMSI but not sure if I can do this as i'm not from the UK. I also hear about 3rd party countries like Isle of Man or Greece ect that I could obtain an MMSI from.

 

[westhinder]

Have you tried to get an official document from the Australian authorities staking that your certification is superior to the Australian short range certificate? That might persuade the Dutch Agentschap. Or check with the organisation of Dutch merchant navy officers, or the organisation of shipping companies here: https://www.kvnr.nl/home

 

[prv]

Or is there a third option. I keep hearing how the ofcom is a cheap way of obtaining an MMSI but not sure if I can do this as i'm not from the UK.

I don't think it matters where you're from, but Ofcom is only supposed to issue licenses to British vessels.

In practice the station license is issued instantly online with no real checking - I took out a license for a Chinese inflatable catamaran which is now a heap of soggy rubber in a friend's basement in Wales - so you could presumably get yourself a British MMSI that way if having a number is important to you. However I don't think the associated piece of paper would actually be a valid license, since Ofcom in Britain isn't entitled to authorise radio stations on Dutch boats.

Pete

 

[Matwill]

The boat isn't registered anywhere currently, my only concern with the MMSI is i need to get a radio for the boat as well as an ais transponder, in the netherlands there is a requirement for radios to transmit the ATIS which can be the MMSI with a 9 in front for ships registered outside of NL

 

[prv]

The boat isn't registered anywhere currently

Ok, well, Ofcom still can't issue it a license unless it becomes a British vessel. You're not eligible to put it on the simple Part 3 register; I think vessels owned by Commonwealth citizens are eligible to go on the Part 1 register, but there's quite a lot of paperwork and cost involved - an official surveyor has to visit the boat, for instance - and as a non-resident you have to appoint a representative (a person or a business) physically in the UK. Seems like an excessive degree of hassle just to get a radio license.

I'd go with trying to convince the Dutch that your operator's certificate is sufficient (I wonder if there's some ITU regulation on equivalence you could quote?) - or possibly going with the Ozzy registry especially if it might get you out of other requirements applying to Dutch vessels

Pete

 

[Bilgediver]

I think you have a language problem with the authorities. You Australian qualification is an operators certificate and so should play no part in the issuing of an MMSI number which is a ship's station/registration issue. Normally a country only issues MMSI to vessels on its own ships register and so step one would be to satisfy this requirement and register this boat under the Dutch flag. It is possible that to use the main ships register the owner has to be a Dutch National which is in line with many other countries of the world however there may be some sort of small boat Register which has more flexible rules with regard to ownership.
At this point it is only the registration issue you should be dealing with and only when this is completed move on and apply for the MMSI and ships call sign. Your radio qualifications should not be part of this process however until you deal with them as required by the Dutch Authorities you are not licensed to use the equipment under Dutch Regulations.

Your alternative is to either register under the Australian flag or some other country/state that may be more flexible regarding ownership of vessels under its flag. Once on the Register you apply for The Ships Radio Licence and this would Include MMSI and ATIS.

 

[findus]

Matwil,
You will need 2 things, to get a Ship station licence from the Dutch Agentschaptelecom: address in NL and valid radio operator certificate (and a ship of course). I think, it is the radio operator certificate, where you are struggling at the moment?
We have moved our boat off the UK register, removed it from the Ofcom registration and moved everything across to the Netherlands because of Brexit.
I have a long range certificate from Germany and also one from the UK. That was acceptable to the Agentschap Telecom. We were issued with call sign, MMSI and ATIS, before the boat was registerd on the Dutch Kadaster.
Ask the Agentschap, what kind of radio operator license they need. They will check foreign licenses and let you know, whether it is acceptable. I would assume, that you could get the UK LRC before the end of January and this would allow you to get your Dutch ship station license. Or you could get your Dutch license (Algemeen Certificaat Maritieme Radiocommunicatie).
Good luck!
Findus

 

[Frankklose]

It’s most likely the same all over Europe. The British SRC is only accepted with an additional examine in Germany ....I held in the past a British VHF certificate. They brits gave me an certificate with a stamp on it "Not valid none British" a week later I got a letter from the DTC saying“ you were examined according to the Genève convention....therefore we allow you to operate your ship radio station on your vessel.
Few years later I wanted to trade in the British for a German certificate, they said we can only give you a certificate if you can proof that you were examined according Geneva.... I could poof with the letter of the DTC that the examine was oin accordance to the Genève... one year later I got the German certificate with an additional note, that I was not allowed to operate the ship radio station in German language since I was not examined in German. I am a German citizen, born in Germany educated in German, but lived in England 7 years of my life and learned to sail in the Solent.....