Ofcom ships radio licence question

Irish Rover

Irish Rover

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My boat is registered in Jersey and I have a radio licence, and MMSI from Ofcom. I'm exploring the possibility of transferring to the Turkish register which means I'll have to get a de-registration cert from Jersey. So what happens to my Ofcom licence and MMSI no. Do I have to cancel them and apply for a Turkish licence and MMSI? What would be the implications of leaving the UK MMSI programmed in my DSC VHF and Epirb?
 
Part of the MMSI denotes the country, so each country's MMSI numbers will be different.
If you leave an old MMSI number that no longer applies to the boat, and if someone with whom you correspond by radio uses those facilities that relay on the MMSI, they'll go astray. If you activate an EPIRB with an MMSI from another country, they'll be thinking you're someone else.
 
I'm not planning to change the name of my boat just the flag. Will Jersey registry advise Ofcom that I've cancelled my registration? If not surely if I activate my DSC mayday or my Epirb my boat will still be identifiable? What am I missing here?
 
Possibly a mayday coming from an MMSI that is no longer valid won't be acted upon with the same urgency as a valid one?

Do Turkish rules require boats on their register to have properly licensed radios etc?
 
Irish Rover said:
My boat is registered in Jersey and I have a radio licence, and MMSI from Ofcom. I'm exploring the possibility of transferring to the Turkish register which means I'll have to get a de-registration cert from Jersey. So what happens to my Ofcom licence and MMSI no. Do I have to cancel them and apply for a Turkish licence and MMSI? What would be the implications of leaving the UK MMSI programmed in my DSC VHF and Epirb?
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Why not contact Ofcom. They always seem to be helpful.
 
VicS said:
Why not contact Ofcom. They always seem to be helpful.
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Yes I found them very helpful the couple of times I contacted them. It was too late yesterday when this aspect occurred to me and I'm off to Armenia today for 10 days so it will have to wait until I get back. I thought maybe some other forumite might have had a similar experience of changing flags and might offer advice. If I do change the flag I can get a Turkish radio licence but the problem will be reprogramming the VHF and the Epirb.
 
The MMSI database is global so a mismatch between flag and prefix won't be a problem in emergency situation. A distress call is the same wherever. Guess you may need the Turkish equivalent of the ship's radio licence though.

If deemed necessary, you can get VHF and EPIRB reprogrammed, usually around £25 via manufacturer, distributor or dealer.
 
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If it was the other way round... I doubt it would be any great issue. In that Ofcom don't have men with clipboards checking things at ports.

I don't know Turkey, but is it like other places round that part of the med? Men with clipboards, paid to check other men with clipboards have check your paperwork all looking to justify their jobs by finding deficiency so they can impound your boat and charge a huge fine to justify the cost of having men with clipboards? I don't know if even they would spot a mismatched MMSI from a Turkish Ships Radio License (I guess they would spot an UK license and a Turkish flag not being right).. But... If you press the magic red button they might. And if you do... I get the impression more men with clipboards and peaked hats come out the woodwork.

If you really annoy the clip board army they arrest your boat. You then would either need to buy replacements or have your reprogrammed.

Curious - what's the advantages of being registered in Turkey?
 
If I ever have to press the red button I'll be happy to see any men, with clipboards or otherwise. Some Customs officers now getting a bit sticky about owners of foreign flagged boats spending more that 180 days in the year in Turkey. There are other ways around it but getting a Turkish flag also simplifies the check in/out procedure in Turkey. If I decide to sell in the future it will help as well as there is generally a good market here for Turkish registered boats whereas it's difficult enough to sell foreign flagged boats.
 
It is not an Ofcom matter it is an International matter and the rules are quite clear for both UK and Turkey. You have to apply for a Turkish registration and Radio Licence for the boat and need to re register the EPIRB and PLBs on the Turkish register. You should also tell MCA Falmouth you are no longer registered in the UK as well as Ofcom as you will use your Turkish radio call sign and MMSI.
 
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Bilgediver said:
It is not an Ofcom matter it is an International matter and the rules are quite clear for both UK and Turkey. You have to apply for a Turkish registration and Radio Licence for the boat and need to re register the EPIRB and PLBs on the Turkish register. You should also tell MCA Falmouth you are no longer registered in the UK as well as Ofcom as you will use your Turkish radio call sign and MMSI.
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Thanks. Would you have a link to the rules please as I couldn't find anything definitive.
 
Call Ofcom as they are helpful and they will confirm that only British vessels have British call signs. You will need to check with Turkish authorities 're their call signs and EPIRB registration and MMSI.
 
Bilgediver said:
Call Ofcom as they are helpful and they will confirm that only British vessels have British call signs. You will need to check with Turkish authorities 're their call signs and EPIRB registration and MMSI.
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I'll take it from that you haven't been able to find any rules either in relation to the procedure to be followed when changing the flag of a boat. As I said earlier I will call Ofcom but I'm away for the next 10 days. Thanks again.
 
The rules vary depending on the flag state you are leaving and one you are joining.
Google " change of flag state of a vessel " and this will give an idea. You should check with Turkish authorities as there may be rules as to how a foreign national registers on their Register.
 
I’m not sure what you are expecting re procedures to follow, as other have said it’s the rules of the flag state you are going to is that matter, ofcom deal with uk administration and turkey will have their system to follow, as ofcom issue uk vessels with mmsi and other uk bodies deal with epirb.
 
Ofcom state in their documents that for an ofcom licence to be issued, the vessel must be registered in UK or one of the dependencies. Para 1.2 of this document https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/ass...dio-Licences-Guidance-notes-for-licensing.pdf . So, if you move the boat to the Turkish register you will need to get a Turkish radio station licence and MMSI to go with it.
Note that your UK based EPIRB does not necessarily have your MMSI programmed into it, as the beacon identifier only is used, no MMSI. If you move to the Turkish register your EPIRB will need to be reprogrammed to a Turkish identifier unless you decide to leave the beacon on the UK register.
 
duncan99210 said:
Ofcom state in their documents that for an ofcom licence to be issued, the vessel must be registered in UK or one of the dependencies. Para 1.2 of this document https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/ass...dio-Licences-Guidance-notes-for-licensing.pdf . So, if you move the boat to the Turkish register you will need to get a Turkish radio station licence and MMSI to go with it.
Note that your UK based EPIRB does not necessarily have your MMSI programmed into it, as the beacon identifier only is used, no MMSI. If you move to the Turkish register your EPIRB will need to be reprogrammed to a Turkish identifier unless you decide to leave the beacon on the UK register.
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Which would be the wrongest (yes I know that's not a word) thing to do!

Because you presumably registered your EPIRB with Falmouth. So if you did activate your EPIRB by accident Falmouth would be passed the details, who would then contact Turkey (assuming you are in their waters) and then Turkey would try calling you with your old MMSI under the impression you are a UK registered craft. You would not respond as MMSI wouldn't be right so your DSC wouldn't alert. That's the type of situation where clipboard officials will make you suffer...

If you are genuinely in distress there may be a delay. You will still be rescued.
 
Irish Rover said:
I'll take it from that you haven't been able to find any rules either in relation to the procedure to be followed when changing the flag of a boat. As I said earlier I will call Ofcom but I'm away for the next 10 days. Thanks again.
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The details below are of the Turkish Marine Administration and you should make contact to find out what you need to do to register your boat as a British Subject on their register.

Ministry of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications
Head of Department
Mr Yılmaz TAŞÇI
Hakki Turaylic Caddesi No:5
Emek, Çankaya
Ankara
Turkey
Tel: +90 312 203 22 20
Fax: +90 312 231 33 06
E-mail: psc@udhb.gov.tr, gemi.denetim@udhb.gov.tr
 
Bilgediver said:
The details below are of the Turkish Marine Administration and you should make contact to find out what you need to do to register your boat as a British Subject on their register.

Ministry of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications
Head of Department
Mr Yılmaz TAŞÇI
Hakki Turaylic Caddesi No:5
Emek, Çankaya
Ankara
Turkey
Tel: +90 312 203 22 20
Fax: +90 312 231 33 06
E-mail: psc@udhb.gov.tr, gemi.denetim@udhb.gov.tr
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Thanks. I know what I would need to do re getting a Turkish vhf licence. I was hoping to avoid having to send the set and the epirb off for reprogramming. Thanks anyway.
PS - a more sensitive Paddy might be upset at being referred to as a British Subject but I've been called much worse so it's not a problem.
 
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