Application for Ship Station License
The application form contains all types of applications regarding Ship Station Licenses. The form will automatically adapt to the application type selected.
An application for a new call sign should be made if the ship is equipped with maritime radio equipment and has not previously been issued with a call sign, or if the ship's former call sign has been deregistered and a new is requested.
An application for changes regarding a call sign should be made if changes are made after the issue of the call sign which affect the Ship Station License. The following options are available in the form regarding changes:
- Takeover of existing call sign: If you take over a ship already issued with a call sign, a change of owner for the call sign must be registered.
- Change of ship's name: If the ship’s name is changed, this must be changed on the Ship Station License; this also applies to ships in the register of shipping where the name must also be changed.
- Change of accounting code (AAIC): If a new accounting authority is requested, please specify here.
- Change of existing radio equipment: It is possible to add or remove radio equipment from the Ship Station License. The HEX ID for the ship’s EPIRB is registered here; it is very important to register this ID. The ship’s Inmarsat numbers are also registered and updated here.
- Change of contact person ashore in the event of a distress situation: The information about the contact person is updated here.
A call sign must be deregistered once it is no longer needed for the ship. A call sign is not automatically deregistered once a ship is deleted from the register of shipping.
Call sign for maritime radio equipment
The Danish Maritime Authority issues call signs for maritime radio equipment on ships. Call signs are issued from the various number series assigned to the Danish Maritime Authority. Which series your call sign will be issued from depends on whether your ship is registered in the register of shipping and, in that case, on which register.
The register of shipping assigns distinctive numbers or letters for the ship. These distinctive numbers or letters will also become the ship's call sign once issued. This does, however, not apply to ships in the Boat Register as the Danish Maritime Authority does not assign numbers from a series starting with FTJ.
Maritime identification number (MMSI) for maritime radio equipment, including handheld VHF
The Danish Maritime Authority issues maritime identification numbers for maritime radio equipment on ships; only ships, not individuals or personal equipment. The regulation states that radio equipment on ships must be coded with a nationally assigned MMSI number. The MMSI number is defined by the country code for Denmark (MID) 219 or 220, followed by 6 digits. Handheld VHF with a DSC function must be coded with an assigned handheld identification number, defined by the digit “8” followed by the country code 219 or 220 and 5 digits.
A maritime identification number can be used for the ship that it has been registered for.
Accounting Authority (AAIC)
When applying for a Ship Station License, an accounting authority is required to be selected. The accounting authority determines who is paid for radio services, if any. An AAIC is defined by two letters and a number between 01 and 25, i.e. DK25.
At present, there are 2 approved Danish accounting authorities, DK01 and DK04. Foreign accounting authorities can also be used, if approved. You can read more about the accounting authorities by following the links below.
DK01: http://www.nsslglobal.com/
DK04: http://www.polaris-as.dk/
Reference is made to the Danish Energy Agency, which is in charge of accounting authorities in Denmark. Reference is also made to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
Ship's field of application
The ship's field of application is decided according to the ITU classifications. This classification is divided into general and individual types. The general type is defined by two letters, i.e. MM for commercial ships. The individual type is defined by two or three letters, i.e. CON for container ships.
There are 101 individual types. In order to make the selection more manageable, only one selection of types is available for each general type. If the ship's type is not found in the form, XXX can be selected and a remark can be added in the last section of the application.
Contact person ashore in the event of a distress situation
In order for rescue authorities to reach a contact person ashore in the event of distress, a contact person can be connected to the call sign.
This is a mandatory requirement for most commercial ships, as specified by technical regulation no. 1 of 25 January 2001 issued by the Danish Maritime Authority.
The Danish Maritime Authority always recommends specifying an emergency contact for the rescue authorities to reach in case of distress, even though your ship might not be covered by the technical regulation.
Automatic Transmitter Identification System (ATIS)
A wide number of European countries have concluded a special agreement on the use of VHF radio installations when navigating European rivers (inland waterways). Denmark is not a Party to this agreement since it concerns only countries with inland waterways.
Part of the agreement contains mandatory requirements on the coding of VHF radio installations with a specific identification number referred to as the Automatic Transmitter Identification System (ATIS). In some of the countries concerned, the requirement also applies to visiting ships from third countries. The number consists of ten digits and is composed in a specific manner: The MMSI number preceded by the 9 figure. For example, a ship with the MMSI number 220-243-167 will have an ATIS number as follows: 9220-243-167.
Previously ATIS numbers were allocated by and recorded in a country that is a Party to the agreement. This is no longer the case and thus the number is not required to be recorded by the Danish Maritime Authority either.
Please observe that, when the ATIS function is connected on the VHF radio, the DSC function is disconnected. Consequently, the ATIS function must be disconnected again when leaving the rivers so that the DSC function operates again when at sea. The DSC function is decisive for the transmission of distress calls.
Just as previously, the MMSI number is allocated by the Danish Maritime Authority in connection with the issue of Ship Station Licenses.
Registration of the emergency transmitter Personal Locator Beacon (PLB – 406 MHz Beacons)
The use of a PLB is not permitted in Denmark. Here you are instead to ask for assistance by telephone through 112.
It is, however, possible to use a PLB outside Denmark in countries that permit the use of these emergency transmitters. They are often countries with desolate areas such as northern Scandinavia. The owner of a PLB must examine in the country in question whether it is permitted to use a PLB emergency transmitter.
A PLB is always required to be registered. Owners of a PLB – with the purpose of using it abroad – must register it. For this purpose, a possibility has been established to register PLBs in the International Beacon Registration Database (IBRD) under the Cospas-Sarsat system.
It should be borne in mind that, if a PLB is intended to be used on board a ship it must be registered with the ship's MMSI number issued by the Danish Maritime Authority.
By coding a the equipment/unit with a MMSI number, it changes status to an EPIRB to be used by ships as emergency transmitters. Hereby, the transmitter is registered as belonging to the system and thus the rescue authorities have a possibility of identifying the transmitter.
An EPIRB is associated to a ship, not an individual, and must therefore only be used on that specific ship.
Issue of permit for frequency use of P channels
The issue of permits for frequency use of P channels and maritime land- and earth stations is done by the Danish Energy Agency, frekvens@ens.dk.