Registration of emergency beacons – EPIRB and PLB

Sjöfartsverket, Digital Skipper |23/06, 2022

How to register EPIRB and PLB with the Swedish Maritime Administration and use Cospas-Sarsat for secure communication in emergencies.

If you find yourself in an emergency, an emergency beacon can be crucial for calling for help. In Sweden, you register EPIRB beacons for maritime use and PLB beacons for personal use via the Swedish Maritime Administration.

Cospas-Sarsat – International Emergency System

Cospas-Sarsat is a global system for receiving distress signals and locating emergency beacons for sea and air rescue. Sweden is a member of the system. Emergency beacons transmit on the 406 MHz frequency, and alarms are received by the Swedish Maritime Administration's JRCC (Joint Rescue Coordination Centre), which forwards them to the correct authority.

PLB – Personal Locator Beacon

A PLB is a personal emergency beacon that you can carry in your pocket, whether you are on a boat, on land, or in the air. PLB provides security during adventures and emergencies.

Registration and update of PLB

Owners manage their data in the international registry IBRD (International Beacon Registration Database) owned by Cospas-Sarsat. You need:

Hex code (15 characters) for your PLB
Password for IBRD

For new registrations, you choose the password yourself. NOTE! The password can only be reset via IBRD in Canada, not with the Swedish Maritime Administration.

EPIRB – Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon

EPIRB is used in maritime navigation and is part of GMDSS (Global Maritime Distress and Safety System). An EPIRB must be programmed before use. Programming is done by an authorized reseller and provides a certificate and registration certificate which is sent to the Swedish Maritime Administration.