U.S. VHF Marine Radio Channels and Frequencies

New Channel Number	Old Channel Number	Ship Transmit MHz	Ship Receive MHz	Use
1001	01A	156.050	156.050	Port Operations and Commercial, VTS. Available only in New Orleans / Lower Mississippi area.
1005	05A	156.250	156.250	Port Operations or VTS in the Houston, New Orleans and Seattle areas.
06	06	156.300	156.300	Intership Safety
1007	07A	156.350	156.350	Commercial. VDSMS
08	08	156.400	156.400	Commercial (Intership only). VDSMS
09	09	156.450	156.450	Boater Calling. Commercial and Non-Commercial. VDSMS
10	10	156.500	156.500	Commercial. VDSMS
11	11	156.550	156.550	Commercial. VTS in selected areas. VDSMS
12	12	156.600	156.600	Port Operations. VTS in selected areas.
13	13	156.650	156.650	Intership Navigation Safety (Bridge-to-bridge). Ships >20m length maintain a listening watch on this channel in US waters.
14	14	156.700	156.700	Port Operations. VTS in selected areas.
15	15	--	156.750	Environmental (Receive only). Used by Class C EPIRBs.
16	16	156.800	156.800	International Distress, Safety and Calling. Ships required to carry radio, USCG, and most coast stations maintain a listening watch on this channel.  See our Watchkeeping Regulations page.
17	17	156.850	156.850	State & local govt maritime control
1018	18A	156.900	156.900	Commercial. VDSMS
1019	19A	156.950	156.950	Commercial. VDSMS
20	20	157.000	161.600	Port Operations (duplex)
1020	20A	157.000	157.000	Port Operations
1021	21A	157.050	157.050	U.S. Coast Guard only
1022	22A	157.100	157.100	Coast Guard Liaison and Maritime Safety Information Broadcasts. Broadcasts announced on channel 16.
1023	23A	157.150	157.150	U.S. Coast Guard only
24	24	157.200	161.800	Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). VDSMS
25	25	157.250	161.850	Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). VDSMS
26	26	157.300	161.900	Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). VDSMS
27	27	157.350	161.950	Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). VDSMS
28	28	157.400	162.000	Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). VDSMS
1063	63A	156.175	156.175	Port Operations and Commercial, VTS. Available only in New Orleans / Lower Mississippi area.
1065	65A	156.275	156.275	Port Operations
1066	66A	156.325	156.325	Port Operations
67	67	156.375	156.375	Commercial. Used for Bridge-to-bridge communications in lower Mississippi River. Intership only.
68	68	156.425	156.425	Non-Commercial. VDSMS
69	69	156.475	156.475	Non-Commercial. VDSMS
70	70	156.525	156.525	Digital Selective Calling (voice communications not allowed)
71	71	156.575	156.575	Non-Commercial. VDSMS
72	72	156.625	156.625	Non-Commercial (Intership only). VDSMS
73	73	156.675	156.675	Port Operations
74	74	156.725	156.725	Port Operations
77	77	156.875	156.875	Port Operations (Intership only)
1078	78A	156.925	156.925	Non-Commercial. VDSMS
1079	79A	156.975	156.975	Commercial. Non-Commercial in Great Lakes only. VDSMS
1080	80A	157.025	157.025	Commercial. Non-Commercial in Great Lakes only. VDSMS
1081	81A	157.075	157.075	U.S. Government only - Environmental protection operations.
1082	82A	157.125	157.125	U.S. Government only
1083	83A	157.175	157.175	U.S. Coast Guard only
84	84	157.225	161.825	Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). VDSMS
85	85	157.275	161.875	Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). VDSMS
86	86	157.325	161.925	Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). VDSMS
87	87	157.375	157.375	Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). VDSMS
88	88	157.425	157.425	Commercial, Intership only. VDSMS
AIS 1	AIS 1	161.975	161.975	Automatic Identification System (AIS)
AIS 2	AIS 2	162.025	162.025	Automatic Identification System (AIS)

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Data from the U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Telecommunications Information

NOAA Weather Radio Frequencies, in MHz

WX1	--	162.550
WX2	--	162.400
WX3	--	162.475
WX4	--	162.425
WX5	--	162.450
WX6	--	162.500
WX7	--	162.525

See the NOAA Weather Radio Homepage for more information.

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Four-digit VHF maritime channel numbers were established by the International Telecommunications Union World Radio Conference meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, 2-27 November 2015. Its purpose was to improve spectrum efficiency, making allowances for countries making simplex use of duplex channels, just as the US had done beginning in 1965. US channel 05A is now designated and recognized internationally by the channel 1005, and the US Coast Guard channel 22A is now designated and recognized internationally by the channel “1022”. These new channel number designations are being displayed on new models of VHF marine radios.

Boaters should normally use channels listed as Non-Commercial. Channel 16 is used for calling other stations or for distress alerting. Channel 13 should be used to contact a ship when there is danger of collision. All ships of length 20m or greater are required to guard VHF channel 13, in addition to VHF channel 16, when operating within U.S. territorial waters. Users may be fined by the FCC for improper use of these channels.

More information regarding Marine VHF use can be found at USCG Navigation Center:
Maritime Telecommunications
Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSIs)
Radio Information For Boaters