Turkey's Domestic Solution for Maritime Communication: 'National NAVTEX System'

Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu announced that Turkey's maritime communications have been strengthened with the local and national NAVTEX system. Minister Uraloğlu stated that the system will increase communication security by transmitting information such as navigation and weather conditions to sailors, and that NAVTEX messages will begin to be broadcasted through the new system as of 2025.

Minister Uraloğlu, who announced that they have commissioned NAVTEX (Navigational Telex), developed locally and nationally by Aselsan within the scope of the Modernization of Maritime Communication Systems Project, stated that the system is an automatic messaging system that enables the transmission of critical information about safety, navigation and weather conditions to sailors in the maritime field.

Minister Uraloğlu stated that the Maritime Communication Systems Modernization Project, which was initiated within the scope of the 2023-2025 investment program of the General Directorate of Coastal Safety, was included in the Presidency Strategy and Budget Presidency Investment Program and that the project was carried out in two phases in line with the contract signed with ASELSAN.

“NAVTEX Messages Will Be Broadcast Through the New System as of 2025.”

Minister Uraloğlu, reminding that the first phase of the project, the Operation Center and Navtex stations, started to be installed in May 2023, said, “The temporary acceptance tests of the project were successfully completed at the end of 2024 and NAVTEX messages began to be broadcasted through the new system as of 2025. The project aimed to increase the security and efficiency of maritime communication and was an important step for the maritime sector.”

Uraloğlu also reported that the modernization of VHF, MF and HF Stations will be carried out in the second phase, which will be completed by the end of 2025.

“Text messages can be sent in international and national frequency bands in accordance with standards”

Minister Uraloğlu emphasized that NAVTEX is an automatic messaging system that enables the transmission of critical information to mariners regarding safety, navigation and weather conditions in the maritime field, and said, “NAVTEX can send text messages in the international 518 kHz and national 490 kHz frequency bands in accordance with the standards determined by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The system provides mariners with access to important information for safe navigation.”

“A Safer, More Efficient and Faster NAVTEX Service is Provided with the New Infrastructure”

Minister Uraloğlu also noted that the NAVTEX system is broadcast by 4 NAVTEX Stations in Turkey and continued his words as follows:

“The system provides mariners with emergency messages for rescue operations or dangerous situations, meteorological warnings for storms and similar situations, navigational warnings such as coast guard and channel status, and maritime and security-related information. NAVTEX messages are received on sea vessels with automatic receiver devices, and receivers constantly listen to this data to receive all important messages in predetermined areas. With the updates made within the scope of the project, a safer, more efficient and faster NAVTEX service is provided with the new infrastructure.”