Application forms related to maritime mobile service identities (MMSIs) are in the process of being converted from paper to online format. As a result, minor changes have been made to the document; however, the content has not changed. Comments and suggestions may be sent to the mailing or email address below. Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)
Spectrum Management and Operations Branch
235 Queen Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0H5 Attention: Spectrum Management Operations Email: MMSI See the Spectrum Management and Telecommunications website for all publications.
For reasons of safety and radiocommunication, a station that operates in the maritime mobile service may require a unique identifier. The Radiocommunication Sector of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU‑R) has recommended the adoption of an international system of automatic station identification. Consequently, in its Radio Regulations , the ITU-R has adopted the assignment and use of identities in the maritime mobile service.
This document replaces Issue 6 of the Client Procedures Circular CPC-2-3-07, Maritime Mobile Service Identities (MMSIs) .
This Client Procedures Circular (CPC) provides information about identities in the maritime mobile service. It describes the required procedures for communicating with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) to obtain identities or to register preprogrammed identities.
Aids to navigation (AtoN): Radiocommunication stations that aid navigation at sea. AIS search and rescue transmitter (AIS-SART): A self-contained radio transmitter that uses standard automatic identification system (AIS) Class A position reports to help determine the location of a survival craft or distressed vessel. Coast station: A land station in the maritime mobile service. Device: A transmitter or receiver, or a combination of a transmitter and receiver, including accessory equipment necessary at one location for providing a radiocommunication service. EPIRB-AIS: Emergency position-indicating radio beacon with AIS locating functions. Man overboard (MOB) device: A piece of equipment that is attached to a person and that sends an alert if the person falls overboard. Maritime mobile Access and Retrieval System (MARS): A remote online access and retrieval system that allows users to consult the information currently registered in the International Telecommunication Union’s maritime database system. Maritime mobile service (MMS): A mobile service between coast stations and ship stations, between ship stations or between associated on-board communication stations. Survival craft stations and emergency position-indicating radio beacon stations may also participate in this service. Ship station: A mobile station operating in the maritime mobile service, located on board a vessel that is not permanently moored and not intended solely for survival purposes. Survival craft station: A mobile station that operates in the maritime mobile service and is intended solely for survival purposes. It may be located on a lifeboat, life raft or other survival equipment.
In Canada, identities in the maritime mobile service (MMS) are issued only to Canadian-owned stations operating in this service. If you have questions about eligibility, contact your local ISED district office.
The use of identities has vastly improved the efficiency of radiocommunications in the MMS. It has been implemented through digital selective calling (DSC), which forms an integral part of the global maritime distress and safety system (GMDSS). The use of DSC in the GMDSS allows distress and safety communications to be automated, which facilitates the transmission and reception of information essential to safety-of-life . DSC also allows communications through the public switched telephone network (PSTN), where available. A station that uses DSC must be able to uniquely identify itself and, in most cases, to identify the intended addressee of the call. Footnote 1 This identification is accomplished through the identity assigned to the station. To be issued identification, a station operating in the MMS must hold a radio licence, unless it is exempt from licensing under section 15.2 of the Radiocommunication Regulations . There are two main types of identities: the maritime mobile service identity (MMSI) and the maritime identity (MI). The MMSI may be assigned to ship stations, including hand-held very high frequency (VHF) transceivers with DSC and a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) operating on board; coast stations; aircraft participating in search and rescue operations; automatic identification system (AIS) aids to navigation; and craft associated with a parent ship. The MI is used to identify other maritime devices, such as hand-held VHF transceivers with DSC and GNSS not associated with a specific ship station; AIS search and rescue transmitters (AIS‑SARTs); man overboard (MOB) devices; and emergency position-indicating radio beacons that use AIS technology (EPIRB‑AIS).
The format of an MMSI depends on the type of station to which it is assigned. Every MMSI contains a three-digit identifier, called a MID (Maritime Identification Digits), which denotes the country or geographical area of the administration responsible for the ship station identified.
Ship stations make up the most common category of MMSIs assigned by ISED. The MMSI identifies the ship, not the equipment or vessel owner. Therefore, each vessel needs only one ship station MMSI number, which can be programmed into all radio equipment on board.
All ship MMSIs use the format M1I2D3X4X5X6X7X8X9, where the first three digits represent the MID and where X is any number from 0 to 9.
A group ship station MMSI is typically issued when it is ideal for multiple ship stations to be contacted simultaneously with one call. Each ship station in such a group must also have an individual ship station MMSI. To apply for a group ship station MMSI, the group must be represented by a single contact person who completes form D. Refer to section 7.2.2 .
A group ship station call identity uses the format 01M2I3D4X5X6X7X8X9, where the first digit is zero and where X is any number from 0 to 9. The MID represents only the territory or geographical area of the administration that is assigning the group ship station call identity and does not prevent group calls to fleets containing more than one ship nationality.
A coast station MMSI is typically issued to a coast station that will be involved with automatic communications with vessels. In general, coast station MMSIs are issued to Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) stations and the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation or to other coast stations with large fleets of vessels, such as a fishing company or tugboat operation. Any such station also requires a radio licence.
All coast station call identities use the format 0102M3I4D5X6X7X8X9, where digits 3, 4 and 5 represent the MID and where X is any number from 0 to 9. Groups of coast radio stations use the same format.
An MMSI and a radio licence are required for a Canadian registered aircraft with automated radiocommunications equipment that is used for search and rescue communications with ship and coast stations. AIS and DSC equipment on search and rescue aircraft uses the format 111213M4I5D6X7X8X9, where digits 4, 5 and 6 represent the MID and where X is any number from 0 to 9.
AtoNs are radiocommunication technologies that are used as aids to navigation. Currently, there are two basic types of AtoNs: physical and virtual. A physical AIS AtoN is typically a buoy emitting an AIS signal that identifies its location and other pertinent navigation information. A virtual AIS AtoN represents an AIS signal, emitted from a coast station that identifies potentially dangerous locations or areas over water thereby assisting navigation.
Each physical and virtual AIS AtoN, which is authorized through the coast station’s radio licence, requires a unique MMSI.
An AIS AtoN uses the format 9192M3I4D5Y6X7X8X9, where digits 3, 4 and 5 represent the MID and where X is any number from 0 to 9. However, digit 6 is used to differentiate specific uses of the MMSI, as represented in the following: