Regulation 19 – Carriage requirements for shipborne navigational systems and equipment
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Regulation 19 – Carriage requirements for shipborne navigational systems and equipment

Parent topic: Chapter V – Safety of Navigation

1 Application and requirements

 Subject to the provisions of regulation 1.4:

  1.1 Ships constructed on or after 1 July 2002 shall be fitted with navigational systems and equipment which will fulfil the requirements prescribed in paragraphs 2.1 to 2.9.

  1.2 Ships constructed before 1 July 2002 shall:

  • .1 subject to the provisions of paragraphs 1.2.2 and 1.2.3, unless they comply fully with this regulation, continue to be fitted with equipment which fulfils the requirements prescribed in regulations V/11, V/12 and V/20 of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 in force prior to 1 July 2002;

  • .2 be fitted with the equipment or systems required in paragraph 2.1.6 not later than the first survey after 1 July 2002 at which time the radio direction-finding apparatus referred to in V/12 (p) of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 in force prior to 1 July 2002 shall no longer be required; and

  • .3 be fitted with the system required in paragraph 2.4 not later than the dates specified in paragraphs 2.4.2 and 2.4.3.

2 Shipborne navigational equipment and systems

  2.1 All ships irrespective of size shall have:

  • .1 a properly adjusted standard magnetic compass, or other means, independent of any power supply to determine the ship's heading and display the reading at the main steering position;

  • .2 a pelorus or compass bearing device, or other means, independent of any power supply to take bearings over an arc of the horizon of 360°;

  • .3 means of correcting heading and bearings to true at all times;

  • .4 nautical charts and nautical publications to plan and display the ship’s route for the intended voyage and to plot and monitor positions throughout the voyage; an electronic chart display and information system (ECDIS) may be accepted as meeting the chart carriage requirements of this subparagraph;

  • .5 back-up arrangements to meet the functional requirements of subparagraph .4, if this function is partly or fully fulfilled by electronic means;footnote

  • .6 a receiver for a global navigation satellite system or a terrestrial radionavigation system, or other means, suitable for use at all times throughout the intended voyage to establish and update the ship’s position by automatic means;

  • .7 if less than 150 gross tonnage and if practicable, a radar reflector, or other means, to enable detection by ships navigating by radar at both 9 and 3 GHz;

  • .8 when the ship’s bridge is totally enclosed and unless the Administration determines otherwise, a sound reception system, or other means, to enable the officer in charge of the navigational watch to hear sound signals and determine their direction;

  • .9 a telephone, or other means, to communicate heading information to the emergency steering position, if provided.

  2.2 All ships of 150 gross tonnage and upwards and passenger ships irrespective of size shall, in addition to the requirements of paragraph 2.1, be fitted with:

  • .1 a spare magnetic compass interchangeable with the magnetic compass, as referred to in paragraph 2.1.1, or other means to perform the function referred to in paragraph 2.1.1 by means of replacement or duplicate equipment;

  • .2 a daylight signalling lamp, or other means to communicate by light during day and night using an energy source of electrical power not solely dependent upon the ship's power supply.

  2.3 All ships of 300 gross tonnage and upwards and passenger ships irrespective of size shall, in addition to meeting the requirements of paragraph 2.2, be fitted with:

  • .1 an echo sounding device, or other electronic means, to measure and display the available depth of water;

  • .2 a 9 GHz radar, or other means to determine and display the range and bearing of radar transponders and of other surface craft, obstructions, buoys, shorelines and navigational marks to assist in navigation and in collision avoidance;

  • .3 an electronic plotting aid, or other means, to plot electronically the range and bearing of targets to determine collision risk;

  • .4 speed and distance measuring device, or other means, to indicate speed and distance through the water;

  • .5 a properly adjusted transmitting heading device, or other means to transmit heading information for input to the equipment referred to in paragraphs 2.3.2, 2.3.3 and 2.4.

  2.4 All ships of 300 gross tonnage and upwards engaged on international voyages and cargo ships of 500 gross tonnage and upwards not engaged on international voyages and passenger ships irrespective of size shall be fitted with an automatic identification system (AIS), as follows:

  • .1 ships constructed on or after 1 July 2002;

  • .2 ships engaged on international voyages constructed before 1 July 2002:

    • .2.1 in the case of passenger ships, not later than 1 July 2003;

    • .2.2 in the case of tankers, not later than the first survey for safety equipmentfootnote on or after 1 July 2003;

    • .2.3 in the case of ships, other than passenger ships and tankers, of 50,000 gross tonnage and upwards, not later than 1 July 2004;

    • .2.4 in the case of ships, other than passenger ships and tankers, of 10,000 gross tonnage and upwards but less than 50,000 gross tonnage, not later than 1 July 2005;

    • .2.5 in the case of ships, other than passenger ships and tankers, of 3,000 gross tonnage and upwards but less than 10,000 gross tonnage, not later than 1 July 2006.

    • .2.6 in the case of ships, other than passenger ships and tankers, of 300 gross tonnage and upwards but less than 3,000 gross tonnage, not later than 1 July 2007; and

  • .3 ships not engaged on international voyages constructed before 1 July 2002, not later than 1 July 2008;

  • .4 the Administration may exempt ships from the application of the requirements of this paragraph when such ships will be taken permanently out of service within two years after the implementation date specified in subparagraphs .2 and .3;

  • .5 AIS shall:

    • .1 provide automatically to appropriately equipped shore stations, other ships and aircraft information, including the ship's identity, type, position, course, speed, navigational status and other safety-related information;

    • .2 receive automatically such information from similarly fitted ships;

    • .3 monitor and track ships; and

    • .4 exchange data with shore-based facilities;

  • .6 the requirements of paragraph 2.4.5 shall not be applied to cases where international agreements, rules or standards provide for the protection of navigational information; and

  • .7 AIS shall be operated taking into account the guidelines adopted by the Organizationfootnote

  2.5 All ships of 500 gross tonnage and upwards shall, in addition to meeting the requirements of paragraph 2.3 with the exception of paragraphs 2.3.3 and 2.3.5, and the requirements of paragraph 2.4, have:

  • .1 a gyro compass, or other means, to determine and display their heading by shipborne non-magnetic means and to transmit heading information for input to the equipment referred in paragraphs 2.3.2, 2.4 and 2.5.5;

  • .2 a gyro compass heading repeater, or other means, to supply heading information visually at the emergency steering position if provided;

  • .3 a gyro compass bearing repeater, or other means, to take bearings, over an arc of the horizon of 360o, using the gyro compass or other means referred to in subparagraph .1. However ships less than 1,600 gross tonnage shall be fitted with such means as far as possible;

  • .4 rudder, propeller, thrust, pitch and operational mode indicators, or other means to determine and display rudder angle, propeller revolutions, the force and direction of thrust and, if applicable, the force and direction of lateral thrust and the pitch and operational mode, all to be readable from the conning position; and

  • .5 an automatic tracking aid, or other means, to plot automatically the range and bearing of other targets to determine collision risk.

  2.6 On all ships of 500 gross tonnage and upwards, failure of one piece of equipment should not reduce the ship's ability to meet the requirements of paragraphs 2.1.1, 2.1.2 and 2.1.4.

  2.7 All ships of 3000 gross tonnage and upwards shall, in addition to meeting the requirements of paragraph 2.5, have:

  • .1 a 3 GHz radar or where considered appropriate by the Administration a second 9 GHz radar, or other means to determine and display the range and bearing of other surface craft, obstructions, buoys, shorelines and navigational marks to assist in navigation and in collision avoidance, which are functionally independent of those referred to in paragraph 2.3.2; and

  • .2 a second automatic tracking aid, or other means to plot automatically the range and bearing of other targets to determine collision risk which are functionally independent of those referred to in paragraph 2.5.5.

  2.8 All ships of 10,000 gross tonnage and upwards shall, in addition to meeting the requirements of paragraph 2.7 with the exception of paragraph 2.7.2, have:

  • .1 an automatic radar plotting aid, or other means, to plot automatically the range and bearing of at least 20 other targets, connected to a device to indicate speed and distance through the water, to determine collision risks and simulate a trial manoeuvre; and

  • .2 a heading or track control system, or other means, to automatically control and keep to a heading and/or straight track.

  2.9 All ships of 50,000 gross tonnage and upwards shall, in addition to meeting the requirements of paragraph 2.8, have:

  • .1 a rate of turn indicator, or other means, to determine and display the rate of turn; and

  • .2 a speed and distance measuring device, or other means, to indicate speed and distance over the ground in the forward and athwartships direction.

  3 When "other means" are permitted under this regulation, such means must be approved by Administration in accordance with regulation 18.

  4 The navigational equipment and systems referred to in this regulation shall be so installed, tested and maintained as to minimize malfunction.

  5 Navigational equipment and systems offering alternative modes of operation shall indicate the actual mode of use.

  6 Integrated bridge systemsfootnote shall be so arranged that failure of one sub-system is brought to immediate attention of the officer in charge of the navigational watch by audible and visual alarms, and does not cause failure to any other sub-system. In case of failure in one part of an integrated navigational system,footnote it shall be possible to operate each other individual item of equipment or part of the system separately.

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