MCA - UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency

MOTO: Safer lives, safer ships and cleaner seas.

 

  

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is a UK executive agency working to prevent the loss of lives at sea and is responsible for implementing British and International maritime law and safety policy. 

 

We have learned that they suffer from budgetary constraints such that a proactive stance is unusual, rather a typical British reticence is the order of the day. For this reason, the term "executive" may be read a number of ways, where a truly executive organisation would (for example) be on top of the latest research, dare we say leading the charge. But in truth their operatives are content for others to undertake cutting edge research aimed at navigation safety. In view of the above, this quote from their website: "Our vision is to be the best maritime safety organisation in the world, committed to Safer Lives, Safer Ships, Cleaner Seas." is unattainable.


The MCA thus concentrate on coordinating search and rescue (SAR) at sea through Her Majesty's Coastguard (HMCG), ensuring that ships meet international and UK safety standards, monitoring and preventing coastal water pollution and testing and issuing Merchant Navy Certificates of Competency (licences) for ships' officers and crew to STCW requirements. The organisation is led by Sir Alan Massey, its Chief Executive, who took up post in July 2010.

The MCA has three distinct "outward facing" elements - provision of search and rescue and prevention activity through Her Majesty's Coastguard, port and flag state control of shipping through a network of Marine Offices and the development of international standards and policy for shipping through the International Maritime Organisation.

The MCA has now established an Automatic Identification System (AIS) network around the UK coast, for real-time tracking and monitoring of shipping movements from the shore.

The MCA's motto is: "Safer Lives, Safer Ships, Cleaner Seas".

 

 

 

 

MCA's CHIEF EXECUTIVE

 

Vice Admiral Sir Alan Michael Massey, KCB, CBE is a former senior officer in the Royal Navy who served as the Second Sea Lord.

Sir Alan was educated at the University of Liverpool and Britannia Royal Naval College, Massey saw service as captain of HMS Newcastle, HMS Campbeltown, HMS Illustrious during operations against the Taliban regime in Afghanistan in 2001 and as captain of HMS Ark Royal when he led the amphibious assault into Iraq in 2003. He led the Operations Division of the Permanent Joint Headquarters at Northwood and then went on to be Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff in July 2005. He assumed office as Second Sea Lord in a ceremony aboard HMS Victory in July 2008.

Massey was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 2009 Birthday Honours. Having left the Navy, Massey was appointed Chief Executive of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency on 20 July 2010.

He and his wife Julie live in Southsea with their four children. James, Annabel, Thomas and Sally

 

Allegiance  United Kingdom
Service/branch  Royal Navy
Rank Vice Admiral
Commands held HMS Illustrious
HMS Ark Royal
Naval Home Command
Battles/wars Afghanistan War
Iraq War
Awards Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
Commander of the Order of the British Empire

 

 

 

 

 

CONTACTS

 

Typically (civil service), the MCA's website makes it difficult to make contact. We have thus included this information to help you through their maze.

 

Maritime and Coastguard Agency
Spring Place
105 Commercial Road
Southampton
Hants
SO15 1EG

Front Desk: 023 8032 9365

 

 


MCA Training Centre, Steamer Point, Highcliffe,
Christchurch, Dorset BH23 4JQ

Tel: 01425 282700 Fax: 01425 282761

 

 

 

 

COASTGUARD STATIONS

 

HM Coastguard

For general HM Coastguard/Search and Rescue enquiries

Tel: 023 8032 9486
E-mail: SAR.Response@mcga.gov.uk

 

MCA HQ
Spring Place
105 Commercial Road
Southampton
Hampshire
SO15 1EG

For enquiries about the Volunteer Coastguard Rescue Service

E-mail: CRSenquiries@mcga.gov.uk

 

Search And Rescue Headquarters

MCA HQ
Search and Rescue
Spring Place
105 Commercial Road
Southampton
Hampshire, SO15 1EG

 

Acting Chief Coastguard
Mr Peter Dymond
E-mail: SAR.response@mcga.gov.uk

 

UK Search and Rescue Committee
Mrs Rebecca Binstead
Tel: 023 8032 9486
E-mail: Rebecca.Binstead@mcga.gov.uk

 

SAR Operations Specialist
Mr Roly Mckie
Tel: 023 8032 9332
E-mail: Roly.Mckie@mcga.gov.uk

 

 

MARITIME RESCUE CO-ORDINATION CENTRES

 

Aberdeen    
HM Coastguard
4th Floor
Marine House
Blaikies Quay
Aberdeen
AB11 5PB

Tel: 01224 592334
Fax: 01224 212862

RCC Manager: Fiona Hastie
Tel : 01224 597929

Operational Area:
South of Brora (NC 894 027) to
Scotland/England Border (NT980 576)
Belfast    
HM Coastguard
Bregenz House
Quay Street
Bangor
Co Down
BT20 5ED

Tel: 02891 463933
Fax: 02891 465886

RCC Manager: Mr Richard Newell
Tel: 02891 475302

Operational Area:
Northern Ireland/Irish Republic Border, Lough
Foyle to Northern/Irish Republic Border Carlingford
Lough

Mull of Galloway to Ardnamurchan Point, including the
Islands of Jura, Gigha, Islay, Arran, Colonsay, Coll,
Tiree, Mull, Bute and Cumbrae

Brixham    
HM Coastguard
Kings Quay
Brixham
Devon
TQ5 9TW

Tel: 01803 882704
Fax: 01803 882780

RCC Manager: Mr Peter Davies
Tel: 01803 884001

Operational Area:
Motorway bridge at Topsham to Dodman Point
Dover    
HM Coastguard
Langdon Battery
Swingate
Dover
Kent
CT15 5NA

Tel: 01304 210008
Fax: 01304 202137

RCC Manager: Mr Spike Hughes
Tel: 01304 218501

Operational Area:
Reculver Towers to BeachyHead, Belle Tout
Falmouth    
HM Coastguard
Pendennis Point
Castle Drive
Falmouth
TR11 4WZ

Tel: 01326 317575
Fax: 01326 318342

RCC Manager: Mr James Instance
Tel: 01326 310802

Operational Area:
Marsland Mouth - Devon/Cornwall Border to Dodman
Dodman Point
Holyhead    
HM Coastguard
Prince of wales Road
Holyhead
Anglesey
North Wales
LL26 1ET

Tel: 01407 762051/763911
Fax: 01407 764373

RCC Manager: Mr Raymond Carson
Tel: 01407 767951

Operational Area:
From Friog to Queensferry on the River Dee
North Wales
Humber    
HM Coastguard
Limekiln Lane
Bridlington
East Yorkshire
YO15 2LX

Tel: 01262 672317
Fax: 01262 606915

RCC Manager: Mr Tony Tuton
Tel: 01262 607321

Operational Area:
Scottish/English Border to
Southwold
Liverpool    
HM Coastguard
Hall Road West
Crosby
Liverpool
L23 8SY

Tel: 01519 313341
Fax: 01519 313347

RCC Manager: Mr Colin Brown
Tel: 01519 316625

Operational Area:
From Queensferry North Wales to the Mull of
Galloway, Scotland, plus the English Lake District
London Coastguard    
Thames Barrier Navigation Centre
Unit 28
34 Bowater Road
Woolwich
London
SE18 5TF

Tel: 02083 127380
Fax: 02083 127679

RCC Manager: Mr David White
Tel: 02083 127381

Operational Area:
River Thames from Shell Haven Point (North Bank) and Egypt Bay
(South Bank) to Teddington
Milford Haven    
HM Coastguard
Gorsewood Drive
Hakin
Milford Haven
Pemrokeshire
SA73 3HB

Tel: 01646 690909
Fax: 01646 692176

RCC Manager: Mr Carl Evans
Tel: 01646 699601

Operational Area:
River Towy, Camarthen to near Friog
Portland    
HM Coastguard
Custom House Quay
Weymouth
Dorset
DT4 8BE

Tel: 01305 760439
Fax: 01305 760452

RCC Manager: Mr Mark Rodaway
Tel: 01305 763601

Operational Area:
Chewton Bunny (Dorset/Hampshire
Border) to Motorway Bridge at
Topsham
Shetland    
HM Coastguard
The Knab
Knab Road
Lerwick
Shetland
ZE1 0AX

Tel: 01595 692976
Fax: 01595 694810

RCC Manager: Mr Neville Davis
Tel: 01595 743501

Operational Area:
Shetland Islands, Fair Isle and Orkney Islands
and mainland Scotland from Cape Wrath to
South of Brora (NC 894 027)
Solent    
HM Coastguard
44A Marine Parade West
Lee On solent
Hants
PO13 9NR

Tel: 02392 552100
Fax: 02392 551763

RCC Manager: Mr Lee Fisher
Tel: 02392 559001

Operational Area:
Chewton Bunny (Dorset/Hampshire
Border) to Beachy Belle Tout
including the Isle of Wight
Stornoway    
HM Coastguard
Clan Macquarrie House
Battery Point
Stornoway
Isle of Lewis
Western Isles
HS1 2RT

Tel: 01851 702013/4
Fax: 01851 704387

RCC Manager: Mr James Ralston
Tel: 01851 708452

Operational Area:
Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath,
Mainland - Barra Head to Butt of Lewis
and St Kilda

Mull of Galloway to Ardnamurchan Point including the
Islands of Jura, Gigha, Islay, Arran, Colonsay, Coll,
Tiree, Mull, Bute and Cumbrae

Swansea    
HM Coastguard
Tutt Head
Mumbles
Swansea
SA3 4EX

Tel: 01792 366534
Fax: 01792 369005

RCC Manager: Mr Steve Jones
Tel: 01792 365313

Operational Area:
Marsland Mouth, North Devon/
Cornwall Border to River
Towy, Camarthen
Thames    
HM Coastguard
East Terrace
Walton on Naze
Essex
CO14 8PY

Tel: 01255 675518
Fax: 01255 675249

RCC Manager: Archie Turnbull
Tel: 01255 682102

Operational Area:
River Blyth at Southwold to Reculver Towers,
Herne Bay

 

 

 

 

 

 

A to Z SITE LISTING

 

A

Anti-fouling

023 8032 9503

Appeals - Medical

023 8032 9247

Application Forms- Seafarers

023 8032 9231

Automatic Identification System (AIS)

023 8032 9536

B

Ballast Water

023 8032 9481

Bill of Sale

029 2044 8866

Boatmaster Licences

029 2044 8844

Breaches of Merchant Shipping Act 1995

023 8032 9270

British Seaman Cards

029 2044 8844

Bulk Carriers

023 8032 9481

C

Cargo Ships

023 8032 9124

Charts

023 8032 9341

Chemical Tankers

023 8032 9392

Chief Executive

023 8032 9102

Civil Contingency

023 8083 9644

Channel Navigation Information Service

013 0421 8500

Coastguard Rescue Service

023 8032 9487

Certificate of Competency Revalidation

023 8032 9231

Codes of Practice

023 8083 9640

Code Vessels

023 8083 9640

COLREGS

023 8032 9316

Consents

023 8032 9523

Containers

023 8032 9141

Contingency Plans - Ports & Harbours

023 8032 9525

Counter Pollution and Response

023 8032 9525

Courses

023 8032 9231

Crew Accommodation

023 8032 9549

Crew Relief

029 2044 8821

Customer Satisfaction Surveys

023 8032 9396

D

Dangerous Cargo

023 8032 9141

Data Protection

023 8032 9282

Deaths onboard Ship

029 2044 8800

Disability and Reduced Mobility Access

023 8032 9120

Discharge Books

029 2044 8844

Discharge of Seafarers

023 8032 9246

Doctors (Approved)

023 8032 9249

Dredgers

023 8032 9124

Drug and Alcohol - Seafarers

023 8032 9216

E

Emergency help
999 and ask for the Coastguard
Enforcement

023 8032 9270

ENG 1 - Seafarer Medical Examination Certificate

023 8032 9249

Engineering - Certification

023 8032 9231

Ensign

019 1496 9917

Environmental Protection

023 8032 9481

EPIRB Registration

013 2621 1569

Estates

023 8032 9359

EU Twinning

023 8032 9357

Evacuation Systems

023 8032 9120

Examination & Certificates

023 8032 9231

Eyesight Standards

023 8032 9390

F

Fatigue

023 8032 9216

Feedback

023 8032 9396

Firefighting Appliances

023 8034 1962

Fire protection and detection

023 8032 9119

Fishing

023 8032 9154

Fishing Register

029 2044 8855

Fishing Safety Helpline

0845 601 4072

Fishing Vessel Manning (Deck or Engineering)

023 8032 9231

Fishing vessel registration

029 2044 8855

Flares (out of date)

Click here

Formal Safety Assessment

023 8032 9216

 

 

 

G

Genealogy (HMCG)

020 8876 3444

GMDSS - certificates

023 8032 9231

H

Hazardous substance - spill

023 8032 9407

Headquarters MCA

023 8032 9100

Health & Safety  of Seafarers

023 8032 9246

High Speed Craft

023 8032 9127

Hours of Work

023 8032 9216

Hovercraft

023 8032 9324

Hydrography

023 8032 9341

I

Initial Assessment

023 8032 9231

'Inland Waterways except Boatmaster Licences

023 8032 9209

Inspection

023 8032 9343

International Liaison

023 8032 9357

J

Jetskis legislation

023 8032 9133

K

L

Lantern Tests

Hull MO
Aberdeen MO
Southampton MO

Large Yachts

0191 496 9917

Legal

023 8032 9342

Leisure Craft

023 8083 9640

Life Jackets
    Lifejacket Awareness Campaign

023 8083 9641
023 8032 9206

Life Saving Appliances

023 8083 9641

M

M Notices

023 8032 9391

MAIB

023 8039 5500

Marine Offices - East of England

see website

Marine Offices - Scotland and Northern Ireland

see website

Marine Offices - Wales and West of England

see website

Maritime Colleges

023 8032 9231

Marine Mortgages

029 2044 8866

Medals

029 2044 8844

Medical

023 8032 9390

Merchant ship registration

023 8032 9197

ML5 - Boatmaster & RYA Licence Medicals

023 8032 9249

Maritime Labour Convention

023 8032 9216

N

Navigation Safety

023 8032 9437

Navigation Warnings

023 8032 9135

Notices of Eligibilty

023 8032 9231

Oil Spills

023 8032 9544

Oral Exams

Local Marine Office

P

Passenger Ships - domestic

023 8032 9129

Passenger Ships - international

023 8032 9519

Passenger Ship Manning (Deck or Engineering

023 8032 9231

Pilot Boat Construction

023 8032 9115

Pilots (Marine)

023 8032 9394

Pleasure vessel registration

029 2044 8866

Port State Control

023 8032 9343

Ports

023 8032 9394

Press and Publicity
    Press Releases

023 8032 9401

Prevention

023 8032 9323

Prosecutions

023 8032 9270

Q

R

Radar

023 8032 9463

Radio

  Please note that the MCA does not deal with radio licences.
  For radio licence enquiries, please contact OFCOM

023 8032 9356

Receiver of Wreck

023 8032 9474

Recreational Sector: Accident Prevention

023 8083 9661

Recruitment

023 8032 9309

Red Ensign

023 8032 9455

Registration of Births & Deaths

029 2044 8844

Registry of Shipping and Seamen

029 2044 8800

Research Projects

023 8032 9299

 

SS Richard Montgomery

023 8032 9474

RNLI

0845 122 6999

S

Safe Manning

023 8032 9231

Salvage

023 8032 9474

Seafarer Training and Certification

023 8032 9231

Search and Rescue

023 8032 9332

Seaside Rescue

023 8032 9414

Seasmart

023 8032 9414

Ship Inspections

023 8032 9343
 or  
023 8032 9518

Ship Security & Plans

023 8032 9511

Ship Survey

023 8032 9213

Ship's Doctor Requirements

023 8032 9390

Ship-to-Ship Transfers

023 8032 9544

Small Ships Register

029 2044 8813

SMarT

023 8032 9231

Spillage

023 8032 9525

STCW 95

023 8032 9231

Superyacht Surveys

0191 496 9917

Sustainable Shipping

023 8032 9481

T

Tankers - Chemical & Liquid Gas

023 8032 9392

Training - Seafarers

023 8032 9231

U

UK Ship Register

023 8032 9197

V

Vessel Traffic Management

023 8083 9645

 

W

Weather (Maritime)

023 8032 9135

Whales

023 8032 9474

Wind Farms

023 8032 9523

Workboat Construction

023 8032 9115

Workboat Manning (Deck or Engineering)

023 8032 9231

Wrecks

023 8032 9474

X

Y

Yacht Construction

023 8032 9115

Yacht Manning

023 8032 9231

Z

 

 

 

 

 

 

Abbreviation MCA
Legal status Executive agency
Purpose/focus Maritime safety
Location Southampton, England
Region served United Kingdom coast
Chief Executive Sir Alan Massey
Parent organization Department for Transport
Website www.dft.gov.uk/mca

 

 

LINKS

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maritime_and_Coastguard_Agency

http://www.dft.gov.uk/mca/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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