If you are in distress, you can contact the Maritime Rescue Centres by telephone or with the international Global Maritime Emergency and Safety System (GMDSS). 

Connections between the Maritime Rescue Centres and vessels in distress, as well as with maritime rescue units are generally carried out using the emergency and working channels on VHF maritime radio as well as with digital selective calling devices (DSC). The authorities radio network (VIRVE) is used generally to provide various times of operational support notifications as well as to communicate with the land authorities.

National Maritime Search and Rescue alarm number: + 358 294 1000

Radio traffic

Finland has built a global maritime emergency and safety system (GMDSS) based on remotely controlled base stations. This radio system is in operation at both Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centres. This system covers Finland’s entire maritime rescue area as areas A1 or A2.

The coastal radio network used by the Coast Guard Co-ordination Centres consists of the following base stations

  • VHF radio network (sea area A1)
    22 remote VHF access points along the Finnish coast
  • MF radio network (sea area A2)
    4 remote MF access points along the Finnish coast

International emergency frequencies used primarily for emergency radio traffic:

  • VHF-DSC channel 70
  • VHF channel 16
  • MF-DSC frequency 2187.5 kHz 

In addition to the above systems, the following are used:

  • Authorities’ radio network (VIRVE)
  • Aviation radio (frequences 121.5 and 123.1 MHz)

Maritime Rescue Centre contact details

Western Finland Maritime Rescue Region
Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre MRCC Turku
P.O. Box 16 (Juhana Herttuan puistokatu 21)
20101 Turku
Hotline 24/7
Alarm hotline +358 294 1001
MAS services +358 294 1006
Telephone (non urgent) +358 0294 1005
Telefax +358 295 411 598
Inmarsat-C 423002211 (AOR-E)
Email mrcc(a)raja.fi
Radio call Rescue Center Turku
MMSI 002301000

Gulf of Finland Maritime Rescue Region
Maritime Rescue Subcentre MRSC Helsinki
Vilhonvuorenkatu 6
00500 HELSINKI
Hotline 24/7
Alarm hotline +358 294 1002
Telephone (non urgent) 0294 1100
Telefax +358 295 411 099
Email mrsc.helsinki(a)raja.fi
Radio call Rescue Center Helsinki
MMSI 002302000