Why is the Class-M regulation being introduced?.

Across Europe regulatory authorities want to clear up and improve the efficiency of AIS Channels 1&2, removing irrelevant traffic that can impact the navigation / collision avoidance effectiveness of AIS. They also want to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of AMRD (autonomous maritime radio devices) such as AIS MOBs.

From implementation, all group B AMRDs (those that are defined as not enhancing the safety of navigation) can only use channel 2006 and cannot use any AIS channels. This means that from 1st January 2025, all MOBs must be DSC class-M compliant to be compliant.

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