Maritime and Coastguard Agency

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is an executive agency of the Department for Transport (DfT).

We provide a 24-hour maritime and coastal search and rescue emergency coordination and response service for the United Kingdom.

We produce legislation and guidance and provide certification to ships and seafarers. Through our survey and inspection regime, we enforce standards for ship safety, security, pollution prevention and seafarer health, safety and welfare. We promote maritime standards, encourage economic growth and minimise the maritime sector’s environmental impact.

HM Coastguard coordinates all maritime search and rescue (SAR) operations in the UK through a network of coastguard stations, operating 24 hours a day. Staff in operations rooms coordinate the response to a variety of incidents from lost or missing people to climbers stuck on cliffs or vessels missing at sea.

HM Coastguard receives requests for assistance in many forms including 999 calls, mayday and pan pan broadcast, calls on VHF DSC and Channel 16 and satellite distress calls.

In an emergency we may send:

• a coastguard rescue helicopter
• coastguard rescue teams
• lifeboats (RNLI or independent lifeboats)

We can also call upon:

• other emergency services
• other vessels at sea, which may assist if a boat is lost or in trouble

The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) based in Hampshire is the heart of the national coastguard rescue coordination system, connecting 10 Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres (MRCCs) around the UK.