The U.S. Coast Guard is advising mariners to prepare for temporary outages in VHF radio communications around Rota and nearby waters in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands beginning Dec. 1. According to the advisory, the outages may affect both the reception and transmission of distress and safety communications, potentially lasting several months until interim systems are in place.
Officials said long-term infrastructure improvements are underway, but mariners should anticipate reduced coverage in the affected region. The Coast Guard recommends closely monitoring VHF-FM Channel 16, using backup communication tools such as satellite phones or EPIRBs, and informing trusted contacts of voyage plans. Mariners experiencing emergencies are urged to use any available method to contact the Coast Guard or to relay distress messages through other vessels.
“The safety of mariners is our top priority,” said Lt. Ani Johnson, command center chief of the Joint Rescue Sub-Center Guam. “We appreciate the community’s cooperation during this period and will provide updates as new information becomes available.”
The Coast Guard is asking partner agencies and maritime organizations to share the advisory to ensure boaters, fishermen, and commercial operators are aware of the reduced coverage. Mariners seeking assistance can contact the Joint Rescue Sub-Center Guam at 1-671-355-4824 or hail on VHF-FM Channel 16.