International conventions require that all coastal states must maintain a coastal radio station responsible for maritime safety radio broadcasts. The national coastal radio station for Finland is Turku Radio, which broadcasts from the Western Finland VTS Centre.
Turku Radio is responsible for safety broadcasts along the Finnish coast, including navigational warnings, maritime weather forecasts and ice reports. During winter, Turku Radio also broadcasts the vessel and route information of behalf of the icebreakers.
If necessary, Turku Radio supports the Finnish Border Guard in ensuring emergency radio communications within Finland’s territorial waters. Turku Radio also receives reports on defective aids to navigation +358 800 181 818.
Radio station details
VHF Channel 16
VHF-DSC Channel 70
MMSI 002300230
Answerback Turku Radio
Call sign OFK
Position 60°26,375’N 022°13,600’E
Turku Radio broadcast times
UTC BROADCAST
0233 NAVIGATIONAL WARNINGS
0633 WEATHER FORECAST, NAVIGATIONAL WARNINGS
0803 POSITIONS OF ICEBREAKERS
1033 NAVIGATIONAL WARNINGS, ICE REPORT
1433 NAVIGATIONAL WARNINGS
1833 WEATHER FORECAST, NAVIGATIONAL WARNINGS, ICE REPORT
2233 NAVIGATIONAL WARNINGS
WEATHER MESSAGES
0633, 1833
Including wave height information in the Northern Baltic and Sea of Bothnia 0233, 0633, 1033, 1433, 1833, 2233
Navigational warnings
0233, 0633, 1033, 1433, 1833, 2233 in English. On request in Finnish and/or Swedish.
Ice Reports
1033, 1833 In English. Including positions of icebreakers
0803 icebreaker positions only
Contact info
Telephone: +358 20 448 6400
E-mail: turku.radio@fintraffic.fi
Working channels of Turku Radio for voice communication. Download map.
See the change to the VHF channel on 20 November 2023.
Distress communications in the Saimaa region
Saimaa VTS is responsible for distress and safety radio communication during the Saimaa VTS navigation season. Saimaa VTS receives reports on defective aids to navigation and broadcasts navigational warnings within its surveillance area. Saimaa VTS is responsible for distress communications via VHF and forwards distress calls to rescue authorities.