Glossary Archive

Sea area of the Met Office Shipping Forecast. Located off the north coast of Ireland, near Malin Head. After Malin Head, Ireland’s northernmost point, Malin experiences northwesterlies of Force 5–7 and rough seas. In March 1961, gusts exceeded 90 mph here, underscoring its reputation as an exposed headland.

A situation where a person has fallen from a vessel into the water, requiring immediate rescue actions.  A man overboard situation is one of the most serious emergencies at sea, as it poses an immediate risk to the person's life due to drowning, hypothermia, or injury. When someone falls overboard, the crew must act quickly...

A specially designed harbour or dock where boats and yachts are moored, often offering services such as refuelling, repairs, and provisioning. A marina is a facility that caters to the needs of recreational boaters and yachtsmen, providing a safe and secure place to dock vessels when they are not in use. Unlike commercial ports, which...

A UK government agency responsible for investigating marine accidents and incidents to improve maritime safety. Part of the Department for Transport, the MAIB examines incidents involving UK vessels anywhere in the world and foreign vessels in UK waters. Key Roles and Responsibilities of the MAIB Investigation of Marine Accidents: The MAIB investigates accidents involving all...

The RYA Marine Radio VHF (SRC) course is a mandatory qualification for anyone operating a marine VHF radio with Digital Selective Calling (DSC). Participants learn to communicate distress messages, routine calls, and emergency procedures. The course also covers the use of safety equipment like EPIRBs and SARTs. Delivered through practical simulations, this program ensures participants...

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is a UK government agency responsible for implementing maritime safety and environmental policies. It oversees the UK’s search and rescue operations, promotes safety at sea, enforces maritime law, and coordinates responses to pollution incidents. The MCA is part of the Department for Transport. Key Responsibilities of the MCA Search...

A unique nine-digit number assigned to a vessel, coast station, or group of stations for digital communication and identification in the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS). Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) is a critical component of modern maritime communication systems, enabling efficient and precise identification of vessels and stations during radio communications. This...

A shore-based facility responsible for coordinating and managing maritime search and rescue (SAR) operations within a designated area of responsibility. A Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) is a critical hub in the global maritime safety network, ensuring the effective coordination of search and rescue (SAR) efforts for vessels and individuals in distress at sea. National...

Defined in the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention, Chapter IV as "navigational and meteorological warnings, meteorological forecasts and other urgent safety related messages broadcast to ships".

Established by the IMO, MARPOL is the convention for preventing pollution from ships. It is the main international convention covering the prevention of pollution of the marine environment by ships from operational or accidental causes. See the full convention here.