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Class M is a new European regulation, ECC/DEC/(22)02, introduced in 2022 affecting the maritime industry. Starting December 31, 2024, many current AIS Man Overboard (MOB) devices will no longer be compliant in several European countries.

This regulation aims to prevent the Automatic Identification System (AIS) from being overwhelmed by off-ship devices like fishing net markers. From January 1, 2025, only Class-M DSC (Digital Selective Calling) MOB devices and Mobile AtoN will be allowed to use AIS Channels 1 & 2.

The regulation affects all devices not part of or fitted to a vessel, known as AMRD (Autonomous Maritime Radio Devices). Once adopted by each EU country, AMRDs that do not use DSC or have a DSC receiver, such as AIS-only MOBs, must either be taken out of use or moved to channel 2006, which requires a bespoke receiver.

This decision applies to all CEPT member countries, with each national authority deciding whether to adopt or reject it. In countries adopting ECC/DEC/(22)02, non-compliant MOBs will be illegal to use or license. You can find an updated list here.

Whether PLBs (Personal Locator Beacons) with AIS are captured by this decision or not is currently being reviewed by the ECC.

The Electronics Communications Committee (ECC) of CEPT, the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations, has made this decision. CEPT’s role is to establish a European forum for discussions on developments in commercial, operational, regulatory, and technical standardisation, working with the European Commission and ETSI to facilitate the delivery of technologies and services.

The FAQ above is our interpretation of the ECC legislation highlighted in document https://docdb.cept.org/document/28560

ECC/DEC/(22)02, known commonly as 'Class M' is a new regulation regarding the class of DSC functionality for use by man-overboard devices.

This new legislation means that, from December 31st, 2024, existing AIS MOBs without DSC will be rendered non-compliant for use in the waters of several European countries. This ECC decision provides guidance for the harmonized operation of AMRD Group A and Group B, including the usage of frequencies, identification, and registration.

The FAQ above is our interpretation of the ECC legislation highlighted in document https://docdb.cept.org/document/28560

The decision applies to all 46 CEPT member countries. Each country’s national authority will decide as to whether they will adopt or reject the decision.

Where ECC/DEC/(22)02 is adopted, non-compliant MOBs will not be able to be used. You can find a full list on the cept.org website.

As of the end of June 2024, the Class-M regulation is already in force in the following countries:

- Denmark
- Moldova
- Ireland
- Italy
- Switzerland

The following countries are in the planning or under study stage and expected to implement:

- United Kingdom
- Belgium
- Montenegro
- Germany
- Hungary

The FAQ above is our interpretation of the ECC legislation highlighted in document https://docdb.cept.org/document/28560

The Class M regulation is being introduced across Europe by regulatory authorities to enhance the efficiency of AIS Channels 1&2 and prevent them from being overloaded by irrelevant off-ship devices such as fishing net markers and navigation buoys, which can impact the navigation and collision avoidance effectiveness of AIS. They also aim to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of AMRDs (autonomous maritime radio devices), such as AIS MOBs, and enhance the reliability of DSC as a 'Man Overboard' alerting technology.

Class M is being introduced to address these concerns. From implementation, all group B AMRDs (those defined as not enhancing the safety of navigation) can only use channel 2006 and cannot use AIS channels 1 & 2. This regulation ensures that these AIS channels contain only relevant and accurate information.

Starting from 1st January 2025, all AIS MOBs must be Class M compliant to meet these new regulations.

The FAQ above is our interpretation of the ECC legislation highlighted in document https://docdb.cept.org/document/28560

In simple terms, to be classified as a Class M-compliant MOB, your device must be fitted with a GNSS positioning device and, most importantly, a transceiver operating on VHF DSC channel 70.

The DSC receiver allows vessels that have detected your alarm to acknowledge it. This feature enables remote deactivation of your MOB device, either in the event of a false alarm or after your alarm has been actioned to let the user know their signal has been received. This stops further DSC transmission, although the MOB will continue to broadcast the unit’s location coordinates via AIS.

The FAQ above is our interpretation of the ECC legislation highlighted in document https://docdb.cept.org/document/28560

AMRD Group A are identified as those that enhance the safety of navigation, while AMRD Group B are those that do not enhance the safety of navigation. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) is the responsible organisation for these classifications.

Group A Includes:

- Man Overboard Devices using VHF DSC (Class-M)
- Mobile Aids to Navigation (Mobile AtoN)

A Man Overboard (MOB) device using VHF DSC (Class-M) is personal radio equipment (PRE) that alerts via Digital Selective Calling (DSC) and is tracked by the Automatic Identification System (AIS).

Only AMRD Group A devices are permitted to use Radio Regulations (RR) Appendix 18 frequencies, which are allocated for DSC (Channel 70, 156.525 MHz) and for AIS (AIS 1, 161.975 MHz) and (AIS 2, 162.025 MHz).

What is in AMRD Group B?

All other applications of AMRD, including MOB devices without DSC, fishnet markers, diver locating devices, etc., are in AMRD Group B. The IMO suggests that legacy AMRDs, categorised as Group B but using VHF channels AIS 1 and AIS 2, should no longer be placed on the market.