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Angus MacIver, maritime operations controller, with watch keeper Carol Campbell. Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

 

Stornoway Coastguard station has joined the new national coastguard network.

 

Over the past three weeks, work has been carried out at the search and rescue coordination centre to upgrade the technology and introduce new systems.

 

This means Stornoway Coastguard Operations Centre (CGOC) will be connected to the National Maritime Operations Centre (NMOC) in Hampshire and other coastguard stations around the country, which will be able to offer mutual support during busy periods.

 

The development comes as the way the coastguard delivers the coordination of search and rescue operations on the coast and out at sea is changing.

 

Angus Maciver, maritime operations controller at Stornoway, said: “The way we deliver the coordination of search and rescue operations on our coast and out at sea is changing.

 

“But the public won’t notice any difference. If you call 999 and ask for the Coastguard, or issue a mayday broadcast, there will still be someone there to help you.”

 

He highlighted there would be no reduction in rescue resources either. The Coastguard Rescue Teams, lifeboats, rescue helicopters and other rescue units that attend maritime emergencies are unaffected.

 

Mr Maciver - who comes South Shawbost - added: “The new national coastguard network will be able to oversee and assist with operations around the whole of the UK.

 

“Here at Stornoway we’re now part of this network, so we can call upon help from our fellow coastguards elsewhere in the country.”

 

In turn, when required, the Stornoway base can assist any other station.

 

The modernisation programme will see the National Maritime Operations Centre (NMOC) and 10 other Coastguard Operation Centres around the UK operate as an integrated network managing workload on a national basis.

 

This means in a search and rescue operation there will be a much bigger and better support network available nationally to help coastguards who may be dealing with multiple incidents at once.

 

At the heart of the new set up is the NMOC based in Hampshire. After months of extensive tests and exercises, the centre went live for the first time in September 2014, taking on operations from both Solent and Portland Coastguard.

 

Some 96 Coastguards will be working at the NMOC once the national network is fully operational by the end of 2015.

 

Stornoway is the last Scottish station to join the network - Aberdeen Coastguard and Shetland Coastguard joined the network in recent months.

 

 

Stornoway coastguard station joins national network

 

26 October 2015  

MCA