Telenor Maritime Radio - Coast Radio

Coast Radio

Regulations of the coast radio stations and services is regulated through the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) of 1974, the International Maritime Organisation's 1979 convention on sea rescue and the Maritime Act of 1994. The responsibility lies with the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, which has delegated it to Telenor Maritim Radio. The public requirement to listen to emergency channels is the responsibility of the coast radio stations. These are also responsible to record messages of acute pollution at sea and transmission of navigational warnings.

Telenor operates five manned coast radio stations: Tjøme Radio in Horten, Rogaland Radio in Sola, Florø Radio, Bodø Radio and Vardø Radio. Rogaland and Bodø are physically co-located with the respective joint rescue coordination center. The border between Tjøme and Rogaland Radios goes at Søgne, between Rogaland and Florø Radios at Fedje, between Florø and Bodø Radios at Vikna, and between Bodø and Vardø Radios at Tromsø. The coast radio stations are responsible for listening to the emergency channels and relaying relevant information to the JRCCs, issue safety and navigational warnings, alert other vessels of distress situations and manage medical advice and commercial communications. Coast stations can also be reached via mobile telephones where there is service. The stations handled 4,189 resistances in 2012, consisting of 2,402 commercial vessels, 1,321 recreational boats, 348 fishing vessels and 118 others.

As of 2012 Telenor Maritim Radio operates 154 VHF stations and 32 MF stations. MF stations are operated out of Tjøme, Farsund, Sola, Bergen, Florø, Ålesund, Ørland, Sandnessjøen, Bodø, Andenes, Tromsø, Hammerfest, Berlevåg, Vardø, Jan Mayen, Bjørnøya and Longyearbyen. Navtex transmitters are located at Tjøme, Sola, Ørland, Bodø, Vardø and Svalbard. In additional to the coast, there is a VHF transmitter with coverage for most of the lake Mjøsa. VHF stations are also located on offshore installations. Telenor Maritim Radio offers VHF Data, a wireless Internet connection provided via the VHF channels and offers the same coverage as the VHF radio. The Norwegian Armed Forces have a military network of about 35 VHF stations along the coast.