Coming into force 1200 zone time, July 15, 1977 AN INTRODUCTION TO AN INTRODUCTION by Leslie J. Vipond Inspector, Mobile Training Unit AS A YOUNG MAN, determined to follow the sea as a career, I grew up to fear the 'Articles'. The International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea were the cross borne by every aspiring second mate's examination candidate. Longer than anyone could be expected to learn word perfect, they were more daunting than the mate, even less compromising than the bosun and, if the third mate was to be believed, the barrier thrown up the, then, Board of Trade (now Department of Trade and Industry) examiners which only a very select few were ever allowed to penetrate to achieve that exalted state: a 'ticket' holder.

Only later, having come to terms with EOT examiners and other hazards, and faced with the prospect of training other seamen in the interpretation of these great mysteries, was I able to take a calm look at the Regulations.

These Regulations must be truly international, and independent of language problems. Apart from a system of lights and sound signals, there is usually no communication between two vessels involved in a potential collision situation.

Only by knowing and obeying the Regulations will collisions be avoided. Only by possessing a deep knowledge of the Regulations can any seaman deal with a situation involving several vessels, possibly in poor visibility, and perhaps even with areas of shallow water close at hand.

When a lifeboat goes to sea on service the coxswain and crew may have to deal with just such situations, probably in extreme weather, and, in addition, conduct a search and rescue. How well they need to know the 'Articles'! The 'Articles' have been revised again as the result of an international conference held in October 1972. On publication, great interest was shown by everyone involved in the practical application of the Regulations, but as time passed and a starting date stretched into the future, interest wained.

By agreement, the new Regulations were to come into force one year from the date upon which a specified majority of maritime nations became signatories to the conference. This has now taken place and the appointed time for the revised Regulations to come into force is 1200 on July 15, 1977.

I have some words of comfort for those who, like myself, may consider themselves rather long in the seaboot to start learning new tricks. No radical changes are at hand, but the Rules have been modified to deal with the evolution taking place at sea in, for instance, the increase in speed of many ships—including lifeboats—and increase in draught.

The Regulations have been rearranged, but they now have a more logical sequence. Technical material has been moved into annexes and it is hoped that even if the requirements contained in these annexes may have to be adjusted from time to time, the application of the Rules themselves will be with us for the foreseeable future.

Certain aspects of good basic seamanship, like the importance of keeping a good lookout, have been emphasized, and the Rules contain points to be considered when choosing a 'safe' speed.

The old maxims upon which the Rules have always been based still hold true. Vessels in trouble can expect the assistance of every other vessel to hand, and vessels best able to manoeuvre will continue to keep clear of those less advantageously placed. In taking action we must act early and significantly.

Merchant Shipping Notice No. M.761, which follows, points out the changes being made, but it is up to all seamen to get hold of a copy of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972 (they can be found, by the way, in 'Reed's Nautical Almanac') and study them carefully, in full.

In becoming lifeboatmen, we are following our humane instincts. Being lifeboatmen, we must follow certain rules, so from the beginning: These Rules shall apply to all vessels upon the high seas. . . .

MERCHANT SHIPPING NOTICE No. M.761 Notice to Owners, Masters, Skippers and Seamen of Merchant Ships, Fishing Vessels and Yachts (Crown copyright. Reproduced with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office) An International Conference was held in London from 4 October to 20 October 1972 for the purpose of revising the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea 1960. The Conference determined revised regulations which will come into force internationally at 1200 hours zone time on 15 July 1977. In the United Kingdom it is intended that the Collision Regulations (Ships and Seaplanes on the Water) and Signals of Distress (Ships) Order 1965 should then be revoked and it is expected that a new Order in Council will be made.

The Final Act of the International Conference on Revision of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972 has been published in a White Paper (Cmnd 5471, November 1973, HMSO, 50p net).

It is considered desirable that at this stage the attention of all concerned should be drawn to the main differences between the current Regulations and the Regulations agreed in 1972.

The revised Collision Regulations comprise 38 Rules and 4 Annexes; as compared with the current Regulations they have been extensively rewritten, extended in scope and completely rearranged. The essentials behind the detailed requirements remain as in the present (and indeed previous) Regulations but there are a number of ways in which the new Rules develop those now in force, and there are therefore many differences of detail. Their appearance is also quite different, for the Rules have now been arranged so that the Steering and Sailing Rules immediately follow the Introductory section while extensive Annexes have been introduced which contain and greatly expand much of the detail as to lights and sound signals. Distress signals also previously in the Rules have now been moved to an Annex. The use of these Annexes means that the Rules themselves are appreciably more concise than the current Regulations.

Because of the rearrangement direct comparison with the existing regulations rule by rule is not possible; instead consideration of the changes which have been brought in can best be made by looking at each Part of the new Rules in turn.

Part A (Rules 1-3) covers application, responsibility of owner, master and crew and general definitions. (Other definitions are in Rules 21 and 32 and Annex 1, paragraph 1.) Broadly this part replaces Rules 1,13, 27, 29 and 30 of the present Rules.

(continued on page 280)Revision of the International Regulations (continued from page 264) Part B (Rules 4-19 — the Steering and Sailing Rules) replaces the present Rules 16-26 and the Annex. It will be seen that the importance of keeping a lookout is emphasized by being given a Rule (Rule 5) to itself, it being required that a proper lookout be kept by all appropriate means at all times. Rule 6 — Safe speed — incorporates the principles in the old Moderate Speed Rule and the old Radar Annex; it spells out in more detail factors to be taken into account which were previously implied "by the ordinary practice of seamen" in old Rules 27 and 29. The two main changes are: (i) that it applies at all times, ie it is not confined to restricted visibility, and (ii) with a large number of variables to be taken into account it follows that a safe speed will vary as conditions change, viz, any change of any of the factors will require a fresh assessment.

Another new Rule (Rule 10) regulates the behaviour of vessels using traffic separation schemes.

In Rule 17 (Action by stand-on vessels — replacing Rule 21) an important point is laid down, that the stand-on vessel may "take action to avoid collision by her manoeuvre alone as soon as it becomes apparent to her that the vessel required to keep out of the way is not taking appropriate action in compliance with these Rules". In taking such action she should not, if possible, alter course to port for a vessel on her own port side. This permissive rule has been introduced to resolve difficulties which have been caused by the more restrictive present rule. (This does not preclude the prior use of at least 5 short and rapid blasts permitted by Rule 34(d).) However it was felt necessary to include a more definite clause to cater for cases where such early action is not taken and so the requirement in the present rule that if the stand-on vessel "finds herself so close that collision cannot be avoided by the action of the give-way vessel alone, she (also) shall take such action as will best aid to avoid collision", is still incorporated in the new rule as a further sub-paragraph.

Other important points in the Steering and Sailing Rules include more detailed requirements on fairway navigation (Rule 9) and elucidation of responsibilities between different types of vessels (Rule 18). One point covered in Rule 18 is the position of a vessel constrained by her draught; such a vessel is given a degree of privilege provided she shows the proper signals laid down later in the Rules (Rule 28).

Part C (Lights and Shapes — Rules 20-31) replaces Rules 2-12 and 14 of the present Rules, except that details of positioning of the lights have been placed in an Annex. By and large lights are required to be rather more powerful — eg the masthead light for a large or moderate sized ship must now show for at least 6 miles; and an additional colour, yellow, has been introduced and is used for the flashing light for air cushioned vessels operating in the non-displacement mode (Rule 23) and for the new light to be shown above the stern light by vessels towing (Rule 24). Other changes include: (a) Two red lights or black balls and two green lights or black diamonds one above the other in each case to indicate dangerous and safe sides respectively of a vessel engaged in dredging or underwater operations (Rule 27(d)).

(b) Three red lights in a vertical line or a cylinder to indicate a vessel constrained by her draught (Rule 28).

(c) A sailing vessel of less than 12 metres in length may show her side lights and stern light in one combined lantern at the masthead (Rule 25(6)).

(d) Minesweepers now show three black balls or green lights in a triangle indicating general warning (Rule (e) A vessel towing if so encumbered that she cannot deviate from her course shows the signals for a hampered vessel as well as her towing signals (Rule 27(c)).

(/) If it is not possible to light a tow with side lights and stern light all possible measures must be taken to light it or at least indicate its presence (Rule 24( )).(g) A power-driven boat of less than 7 metres in length and with a maximum speed of less than 7 knots may use an all-round white light instead of separate masthead and stern lights but she should still show side lights unless it is impracticable to do so (Rule 23(c)).

(h) All shapes are to be black (Rule 20 and Annex I).

Part D (Sound and Light Signalling—Rules 32-37) replaces Rules 15 and 28. In Rule 33, which specifies equipment for sound signals, the fog horn is no longer included. Rule 34 expands the signals for the use of vessels in sight of one another by including signals for vessels overtaking or being overtaken in a narrow channel. Flashing light signals to augment the whistle signal are described in sub-paragraphs (b) and (d) of this Rule; these remain optional, but it is no longer required that they only be used simultaneously with the whistle, ie these light signals may be repeated whilst the manoeuvre is being carried out. Rule 35 lays down the signals to be used in restricted visibility; there are no fundamental changes from the present Rule 15 (except that vessels under sail are to make the same signal as vessels not under command or otherwise hampered) but some periods are altered.

Part E (Exemption) consists of one Rule (Rule 38) which lays down conditions under which existing ships may be exempted from compliance with certain of the detailed provisions of the new rules.

Annexes. The Rules are followed by four Annexes. Annex 1 gives positioning and technical details of lights and shapes.

The requirements are much more comprehensive than those in the present Regulations. They include a formula from which the luminous intensity of lights needed to give the required ranges may be derived, specification for the colour of lights and details as to the sectors of lights. The relative position of the two masthead lights and the side lights are laid down in greater detail than before and there is a requirement that in all normal conditions of trim the main mast light will be seen over the foremast light at a distance of 1000 metres from the vessel's stern when viewed from sea level.

Annex 2 contains optional additional signals for vessels fishing in company.

Annex 3 gives technical details of frequency, intensity and directional properties of sound signals.

Annex 4 lists the distress signals (thus replacing Rule 31) and also contains a reference to MERSAR.

It is stressed that these notes do no more than draw attention to some points of comparison between the existing Regulations and those which will supersede them. It is emphasized that the full significance of the new Rules can only be obtained by studying their content and these notes are not intended to provide a substitute for such study; nor are they in any way an interpretation of the Rules..