Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Goldie on 10 December 2020 (HL10934), what tests they have conducted with British merchant ships contacting UK maritime authorities using (1) High Frequency, or (2) Single Side Band, radio communications from the (a) North Atlantic, (b) South Atlantic, (c) Indian, and (d) Pacific, oceans since the closure of Portishead radio station.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has not conducted any specific testing of radiocommunications with UK merchant ships.

Under the Safety of Life At Sea Convention, it is the responsibility of operators of merchant ships to ensure that those ships carry communications equipment that is consistent with the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS), which provides an internationally operated maritime communications service.

UK-registered and regulated ships must have radio installations capable of GMDSS communications to shore for their sea areas of operation. In ocean regions they may choose to have either High Frequency (HF) radio or satellite communications, and in polar regions HF is mandatory.