New Delhi, July 30 (IANS) Indian-registered ships operating within the country’s coastal waters may no longer have to carry a full complement of radiocommunication equipment on board, after the government decided to upgrade Indian coastal waters to Sea Area A1 and Sea Area A2. The move follows the Indian Coast Guard’s establishment of 32 Very High Frequency (VHF) and Medium Frequency (MF) stations compliant with the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS).
The Directorate General of Shipping announced the decision through a draft circular issued on Thursday. Indian coastal waters were previously designated Sea Area A3, requiring ships to carry duplicated radiocommunication equipment to comply with Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Regulation IV/4.
“GMDSS divides global waters into four Sea Areas, A1, A2, A3, and A4, based on communication coverage provided by Coast Radio Stations (CRS). In the absence of operational CRS along the Indian coast, the waters were earlier designated Sea Area A3,” the circular noted.
With the operationalisation of Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres (MRCCs) and Maritime Rescue Sub-Centres (MRSCs) equipped with GMDSS-compliant shore-based stations, the government has redesignated Indian coastal waters as Sea Area A1 and A2, depending on coverage.
SOLAS Regulation IV/5 requires contracting governments to provide shore-based facilities for maritime mobile service in VHF (156–174 MHz), MF (415–535 kHz), and MF/HF (1605–27,500 kHz) bands. The Coast Guard has established 32 stations along the coast to provide distress, urgency, safety, and search-and-rescue communications.
The equipment operates in the frequency ranges 156.025–162.025 MHz (VHF) and 1605–27,500 kHz (MF/HF). These stations are now fully operational, providing GMDSS services across Indian coastal waters.
Accordingly, ships and vessels operating in Indian coastal waters must install radiocommunication and navigational equipment to comply with SOLAS Regulation IV/4 and the Merchant Shipping (Radiocommunication) Rules, 2026.
–IANS
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