Marine radio goes digital, channel 16 stays

Maritime VHF has worked in analogue form for decades. That it will eventually go digital is foreseeable, and for anyone with a radio on board that is an uncomfortable prospect. Will the set then be scrap?

The responsible IMO sub committee agreed three principles for the transition at the end of June 2026. First, the existing analogue channels remain, including channel 16 as the distress and calling channel, along with the allocations for digital selective calling on channel 70 and the two AIS channels. Second, additional digital channels are to be found within the frequency band already reserved for maritime radio, rather than claiming new spectrum. Third, the financial burden on ships and authorities should stay as small as possible.

A second decision concerns emergency beacons. The performance standard for float free EPIRBs is to be extended by a two way link over the Galileo return channel. Anyone sending a distress alert would receive confirmation that it arrived, and could exchange prepared short messages with the rescue coordination centre. The function is expressly voluntary and existing beacons remain valid.

A third subject was interference with satellite navigation. Because jamming and spoofing are increasing and many boats feed chartplotter, AIS and radar from a single source, the IMO is working on a shore based backup system. There is no obligation to carry it and none is planned for now.