French waters

Inland, the inland waterway rules for Europe. At sea, the CROSS.

• 10
  Inland: the first ship to ship channel, at 1 W.
• 16
  At sea: call the CROSS directly in distress. Special weather bulletins go out on it too.
• 70
  At sea only: DSC.

At sea in French waters the permis plaisance covers the use of a VHF. Inland, a handheld up to 6 W needs no certificate, except on the Moselle from Metz to the border.

Each lock and VNF sector has its own channel: on the sign at the lock and in the waterway guide.

Source: Ministère de la Mer; ANFR, Manuel CRR fluvial; RAINWAT.

Inland waterways in Europe

Rivers, canals and lakes in the countries of the Basel arrangement (RAINWAT) follow their own radio rules.

• 10
  Ship to ship, unless the authority sets another channel.
• 16
  Distress, safety and calling only where the waterway meets the sea. Not allowed in Austria, Luxembourg and Switzerland.
• 70
  No DSC on inland waterways.
• 15 · 17
  Talk on board only.

Every radio sends your boat's ATIS code when you let go of the talk button; ATIS is required inland.

Ship to ship, port and on-board channels run at 0.5 to 1 W, switched down by the radio.

No dual watch inland. Keep to safety and navigation, except on the channels set aside for other talk.

Nautical information, lock and bridge channels are set per stretch: on the signs and in the waterway guide.

Source: RAINWAT, Regional Arrangement on the Radiocommunication Service for Inland Waterways, 2012, amended 2023.

Checked against the official sources on 25 October 2026. Channels change: the official notice wins over this page.