Maritime &
Coastguard
Agency
- Working at sea: certification, health and safety
- Ships and cargoes: detailed information and marine notices
- Seafarer certification: working on a UK registered vessel
- Seafarer medical certification and advice
- UK Ship Register
- Commercial fishing and fisheries
- Apply for a boatmasters' licence
- UK Civil Hydrography Programme
- HM Coastguard
- Order free safety materials
Featured
New Maritime and Coastguard Chair appointed
— News story
Lord Stevens of Birmingham appointed Non-Executive Chair of MCA.
‘More accessible and easy to use’ – updates to health and safety handbook complete
— Press release
The key health and safety handbook for seafarers has been given a makeover, making it “more accessible and easy to use”.
Funding for seafarer cadets available for an extra 6 months
— Press release
Seafarer cadets can now continue to access financial support for their training up until spring 2025, as funds have been locked in for a further 6 months.
Safety tips and checklists feature on new app for seafarers
— News story
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has launched a new app to help seafarers get the information and support they need while working.
Latest from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency
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UK Approved Recommendations – Marine Equipment
- Finder
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MCA approved doctors UK based
- Guidance
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MCA approved training providers (ATP)
- Guidance
See all latest documents
- Get emails
What we do
We work to prevent the loss of life on the coast and at sea. We produce legislation and guidance on maritime matters, and provide certification to seafarers.
MCA is an executive agency, sponsored by the Department for Transport.
Read more about what we do
Documents
Services
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Transport support services for disabled people
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Owning a boat
See all services
Guidance and regulation
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MCA approved doctors UK based
- Guidance
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How to revalidate a UK Certificate of Competency
- Guidance
See all guidance and regulation
News and communications
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New Maritime and Coastguard Chair appointed
- News story
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Foreign flagged ships detained in the UK during April 2024 under Paris MOU.
- Press release
See all news and communications
Research and statistics
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Seafarer statistics: data tables (SFR)
- Statistical data set
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ML5 Annual report 2022
- Research and analysis
See all research and statistics
Policy papers and consultations
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Consultation on the merchant shipping (carriage of cargoes) regulations 2024
- Consultation outcome
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Consultation on the merchant shipping (carriage of dangerous goods and harmful substances) regulations 2024
- Consultation outcome
See all policy papers and consultations
Transparency and freedom of information releases
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Future commercial contracts for DfT and partners
- Corporate report
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MCA annual report and accounts 2022 to 2023
- Corporate report
See all transparency and freedom of information releases
Our management
Virginia McVea
Chief Executive
Claire Hughes
Director of HM Coastguard
Katy Ware
Director of UK Maritime Services
Lars Lippuner
Director of UK Customer Maritime Services
Contact MCA
In an emergency at the coast
Call 999 and ask for the Coastguard
999
HM Coastguard and Marine Offices
United Kingdom
Contact: HM Coastguard and Marine Offices
For local operation centre and marine office phone numbers, click the link.
Office address and general enquiries
Spring Place, 105 Commercial Road
Southampton
SO15 1EG
United Kingdom
infoline@mcga.gov.uk
Main switchboard
0203 817 2000
Press office
public.relations@mcga.gov.uk
Press enquiries (Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm)
0203 817 2222
Outside these hours or on bank holidays and weekends, for media enquiries ONLY, please send an email outlining your query and putting #Urgent in the subject title.
Out of hours duty surveyor
Technical Enquiries
+44 (0)7810 528504
Note that this service is for Urgent Technical Enquiries that require action out of office hours only. This number must not be used for any urgent or routine enquires during normal office hours.
All enquiries during office hours, including, but not limited to, technical enquiries, enquiries on registration of ships or seafarer’s certification should use the contact details on the list provided here: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/maritime-and-coastguard-agency/about/access-and-opening
UK Ship Register
Anchor Court
Keen Road
Cardiff
CF24 5JW
United Kingdom
uksr@mcga.gov.uk
Registry and seafarer documentation queries
+44 (0) 20 3908 5200
7:30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday and 9am to 4pm, Saturday and Sunday
Seafarer training and certification
Seafarer training and certification switchboard
0203 817 2200
Phone lines are open 8:15am to 5:30pm, Monday to Friday.
Seafarer training and certification: deck training
deck@mcga.gov.uk
Seafarer training and certification: boatmaster training
boatmaster@mcga.gov.uk
Seafarer training and certification: FSE/CEC
fse@mcga.gov.uk
Seafarer training and certification: engineering training
engineering@mcga.gov.uk
Seafarer training and certification: exams section
exams@mcga.gov.uk
Seafarer training and certification: revalidation team
revalidation@mcga.gov.uk
Seafarer training and certification: safemanning team
safemanning@mcga.gov.uk
Seafarer training and certification: smart team
smart@mcga.gov.uk
Seafarer training and certification: STC courses
stc.courses@mcga.gov.uk
UK Beacon Registry
ukbeacons@mcga.gov.uk
Telephone:
+44 (0)20 3817 2006
Fax:
+44 (0)1326 319264
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm (except public holidays).
Safeguarding officers
safeguarding@mgca.gov.uk
To report a safeguarding concern email the MCA's safeguarding officers. Inbox monitored Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
Raise a Concern – Whistleblowing
whistleblowing@mcga.gov.uk
To raise a concern which is relevant to the work of the MCA.
This can include concerns where there is danger to the environment, health and safety issues, failure to comply with legal obligations, fraud, and breaches of security.
To make a complaint, please see our complaints procedure: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/maritime-and-coastguard-agency/about/complaints-procedure.
Make an FOI request
- Read about the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act and how to make a request.
- Check our previous releases to see if we’ve already answered your question.
- Make a new request by contacting us using the details below.
Freedom of Information requests
Spring Place
105 Commercial Road
Southampton
SO15 1EG
United Kingdom
foi@mcga.gov.uk
Corporate information
- Accessible documents policy
- Complaints procedure
- Equality and diversity
- Office access and opening times
Jobs and contracts
- Procurement at MCA
- Working for MCA
- Jobs
Read about the types of information we routinely publish in our Publication scheme. Find out about our commitment to publishing in Welsh. Our Personal information charter explains how we treat your personal information. Read our policy on Social media use. Find out About our services.
