What is the MMSI
MMSI is Maritime Mobile Service Identity and a unique 9 digit number that is entered into DSC-marine radio equipment. The MMSI number contain you or your vessel information. When using this equipment to send a distress alert or to indicate some other emergency, the number is transferred into the coast guard’s database to assists the emergency services center to identify you or your vessel and react quickly.
There are now six kinds of maritime mobile service identities:
Coast station identities
Ship station identities
Group coast station identities
Group ship station identities
SAR aircraft
Navigational aids and craft associated with a parent ship
You who own a vessel generally need the second, Ship station identities. This number is assigned to a vessel not to an individual by the appropriate authorities in the country of registration of the vessel. All vessel MMSI numbers are using the format MIDXXXXXX. The MID represents the Maritime Identification Digital, which consists of three digits and representing the nationality, such as 503 to Australia, 512 to New Zealand, etc. The last six digits are used for the unique identification of your vessel.
The steps to obtain an MMSI for a DSC handheld marine radio used on several boats are much the same as getting one for a fixed mount marine radio used on just one vessel. Because your handheld marine radio is used on multiple boats and not associated with a specific vessel, fixed mount marine radio or other equipment as much information as possible in the registrations notes section about the vessels you will be using the VHF on.
An MMSI number functions much like a phone number and allows boaters with DSC-VHF radios to make a touch-button emergency call that automatically transmits vital information to all other DSC-VHF radios within the caller's area. If you link your VHF handheld marine radio to the onboard GPS, when possible, is also imperative so that search-and-rescue (SAR) agencies will have your location in the event of an emergency.
