Published Thursday, 16 December 2010
Under proposals from Shipping Minister Mike Penning, the number of 24-hour operational centres in the UK would be cut from 18 to three.
Five sub-stations will also be kept, one of which will be either Belfast Lough or Liverpool.
The Belfast sub-station currently operates 24-hours and serves the entire NI coastline. If it remains open, its hours will be cut back.
If Liverpool is kept open instead, all search and rescue operations in Northern Ireland will be conducted from the mainland.
Belfast Lough station, which is based in Bangor, Co Down, employs 22 full-time watch staff. Up to 12 workers face losing their jobs.
"Even if we are to remain open it would be daytime-only, with a 50% reduction in staff," Ian Graham from the coastguards' union said.
"This is a very worrying time for all staff here, in Belfast, and across the UK, which are being either closed or proposed to be closed, especially in the mouth of Christmas."
There will be a 14 week consultation period for the proposals.
North Down independent MP Lady Hermon says NI would be the only part of the UK without maritime rescue services if the plan goes ahead.
"When I spoke to the Transport Minister, I made it abundantly clear that Northern Ireland must not be the only part of the United Kingdom left without a dedicated Coastguard centre," she said.
"I've insisted that the Minister visits the Rescue and Coastguard team in Bangor early in the New Year to see for himself the exceptional services already provided by staff there. Their vital local knowledge simply cannot be replaced by others based, for example, in Liverpool."
Local DUP MLA Peter Weir said the centre performed around 700 operations in the past year.
"This closure would lead to the loss of lives," he said. "Moving the centre elsewhere, Liverpool for example, will mean the loss of this local knowledge and lead to delays and mistakes.
"A decision to close the facility would detrimentally effect operations all over Northern Ireland."
The five sub-stations across the UK which would be kept open are at Swansea, at Falmouth in Cornwall, at Humber in Yorkshire and at either Belfast or Liverpool and at either Stornoway or Shetland in the Scottish islands.