Marine Publications

Marine Service Charts (MSC) - Free

Marine Service Charts (MSC) list frequencies, schedules and locations of stations disseminating NWS products. They also contain additional weather information of interest to the mariner. Charts are also available via the Internet as listed below.

Both sides of the charts are available, both in JPG and PDF formats. The front side of the charts shows the map and the back side shows the text that accompanies the chart. PDF format is helpful if you need to zoom in on a specific area of the chart.

Note - The only Marine Service Chart routinely updated is MSC-15, Alaskan Waters. Updated information formerly included in other MSCs can most often be found on the Marine Forecasts or NOAA Weather Radio webpages or from your Local Weather Forecast Office.

Other Publications of Value to the Mariner

NOAA Publications

• Sea State Photographs for Determining Wind Speed the Beaufort Wind Force Scale (small version)
• Sea State Photographs for Determining Wind Speed the Beaufort Wind Force Scale (large version)
• Sky Watcher Cloud Chart
• Mariner's Weather Log Magazine
• Voluntary Observing Ship Program Brochure (Page 1) (Page 2) Free⁶
• NWS Observing Handbook NO.1 (05/10) Free ⁶
• Marine Report User Guide
• Worldwide Marine Radiofacsimile Broadcast Schedules
• NOAA Weather Radio Brochure
• National Ocean Service United States Coast Pilot
• Directory of Private Weather Services - Free¹⁰
• Hurricane brochures - Free¹⁰
• Tropical Cyclones - A Preparedness Guide - Free¹⁰
• Mariners Guide for Hurricane Awareness in the North Atlantic Basin (2.3 MB PDF)
• Tsunami Safety Brochure
• TSUNAMI The Great Waves  - Free ¹¹

NOAA Sea Grant Publications

• Search for NOAA Sea Grant Publications

FCC Publications

• Title 47 Part 80 - Code of Federal Regulations

NGA Publications

• NGA Publication 117 "Radio Navigational Aids" (2014)¹³
• American Practical Navigator (Bowdich) Publication 9 (2002) ¹³
• Pilot Chart Atlas, 5 areas ¹³
• Sailing Directions, 42 volumes ¹³
• U.S. Notices to Mariners¹³
• U.S. Notices to Mariners #1, Special Notice to Mariners Paragraphs

U.S. Coast Guard Publications

• USCG Local Notices to Mariners
• USCG Light Lists
• USCG Proceedings Magazine
• U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Centers (RCCs) {24 hour Regional Contacts for Emergencies}

Navy Publications

• U.S.NAVY Hurricane Havens/Heavy Weather Handbooks + more

Non-U.S. Government Publications

• Canadian Coast Guard Radio Aids to Marine Navigation (RAMN) - $18.95 Cdn
• The British Admiralty List of Radio Signals⁸
  • Volume 1 Coast Radio Stations (2 parts)
  • Volume 2 Radio Navigational Aids, Satellite Navigation Systems, Legal Time, Radio Time Signals & Electronic Fixing Systems
  • Volume 3 Maritime Safety Information Services (2 Parts)
  • Volume 4 Meteorological Observation Stations
  • Volume 5 Global Maritime Distress and Safety Systems
  • Volume 6 Pilot Services, Vessel Traffic Services & Port Operations (5 parts)

International Publications

• The SafetyNET Users Handbook - Free
• International SafetyNET Manual, 2011; IMO-908E ¹²
• NAVTEX Manual, 2012; IMO-951E ¹²
• GMDSS Handbook, 2013; IMO-IF970E ¹²
• SOLAS Consolidated Edition, 2014; IMO-IF110E ¹²
• SOLAS CHAPTER V SAFETY OF NAVIGATION
• WMO Publication 9 Volume D - Weather Reporting ¹⁵
  • Volume A - Observing Stations
  • Volume C1 - Meteorological Bulletins
  • Volume C2 - Transmission Programmes (Includes broadcast information)
  • Volume D - Information for Shipping (Includes broadcast information)
• WMO Publication 49 Technical Regulations Basic Documents Volume I – General Meteorological Standards and Recommended Practices 2011/2012
• WMO Publication 471 - Guide to Marine Meteorological Services, 2018 edition ¹⁵
• WMO Publication 558 - Manual On Marine Meteorological Services; Volume I Global Aspects 2018 edition¹⁵
  • Volume II Regional Aspects

6. (Some publications available only to ships participating in U.S. VOS program)
    NOAA Voluntary Observing Ship Program 
    National Weather Service Headquarters 
    1325 East West Hwy Room 4162 
    Silver Spring, MD 20910 
    301-427-9644 
    myvos@noaa.gov    
    https://www.vos.noaa.gov

8. UK Hydrographic Office
    Admiralty Way, Tauton, Somerset
    TA1 2DNm United Kingdom
    +44(0) 1823 337900 x3333
    +44(0) 1823 323753 FAX
    info@hydro.gov.uk
   http://www.ukho.gov.uk
   http://www.admiralty.co.uk/SitePages/Distributors.aspx (Distributors)

10. National Weather Service
     Industrial Meteorology Staff
     1325 East-West Highway
     Silver Spring, MD 20910
     (301)-713-0258
     (301)-713-0610
     nws.im@noaa.gov
     https://www.weather.gov/im/

11.International Tsunami Information Center
        1845 Wasp Boulevard, Building 176
        Honolulu, HI 96818
        808-725-6050
        808-725-6055 (FAX)
       itic.tsunami@noaa.gov
       https://www.tsunamiwave.org

12. International Maritime Organization (IMO)
        4 Albert Embankment
        London SE1 7SR UK
        +44 207 7357611
        +44 207 5873210 FAX (general enquiries)
        +44 207 5873241 FAX (publication sales)
        Telex: 23588
        info@imo.org
       http://www.imo.org

13. Available on-line and no longer printed by U.S. Government. Many NGA publications available
       from commercial vendors, see NGA webpage for references.

15. American Meteorological Society
    Attn: WMO Publications Center
    45 Beacon Street
    Boston, MA 02108 USA
    1-617-227-2425 Fax: 1-617-742-8718
    wmopubs@ametsoc.org
    http://www.wmo.int/e-catalog/index_en.php?SORT=N&q=