INTERNATIONAL
REGULATIONS FOR
PREVENTING COLLISIONS AT SEA, 1972
November 2003 Amendments
Currently there are no plans for re-printing the Navigation Rules book with the new International Rules.
Below are amendments to the 72 COLREGS. The amendments have been approved by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and will go into effect in November of 2003. Changes are bold for ease of reading and understanding.
RULE 3(a) is amended to read as follows:
(a) The word "vessel" includes every description of water craft, including nondisplacement craft, WIG craft and seaplanes, used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water.
RULE 3(m) is added as follows:
(m) The term "Wing-In-Ground (WIG) craft" means a multimodal craft which, in its main operational mode, flies in close proximity to the surface by utilizing surface-effect action.
RULE 8(a) is amended to read as follows:
(a) Any action to avoid collision shall be taken in accordance with the Rules of this Part and shall, if the circumstances of the case admit, be positive, made in ample time and with due regard to the observance of good seamanship.
RULE 18(f) is added as follows:
(f)
(i) A WIG craft shall, when taking off, landing and in flight near the surface,
keep well clear of all other vessels and avoid impeding their navigation;
(ii) a WIG craft operating on the water surface shall comply with the Rules of
this Part as a power-driven vessel.
RULE 23(c) is added as follows, and the old Rule 23(c) is renumbered as 23(d):
(c) A WIG craft only when taking off, landing and in flight near the surface shall, in addition to the lights prescribed in paragraph (a) of this Rule, exhibit a high intensity all-round flashing red light.
RULE 31 is amended to read as follows:
Where it is impracticable for a seaplane or a WIG craft to exhibit lights and shapes of the characteristics or in the positions prescribed in the Rules of this Part she shall exhibit lights and shapes as closely similar in characteristics and position as is possible.
RULE 33(a) is amended to read as follows:
(a) A vessel of 12 meters or more in length shall be provided with a whistle, a vessel of 20 meters or more in length shall be provided with a bell in addition to a whistle, and a vessel of 100 meters or more in length shall, in addition, be provided with a gong, the tone and sound of which cannot be confused with that of the bell. The whistle, bell, and gong shall comply with the specifications in Annex III to these Regulations. The bell or gong or both may be replaced by other equipment having the same respective sound characteristics, provided that manual sounding of the required signals shall always be possible.
Please note that the bell is no longer required on a vessel 12 meters or more but less than 20 meters in length.
RULE 35(i) is added as follows, and the old Rule 35(i) and (j) are renumbered as 35(j) and (k), respectively:
(i) A vessel of 12 meters or more but less than 20 meters in length shall not be obliged to give the bell signals prescribed in paragraphs (g) and (h) of this Rule. However, if she does not, she shall make some other efficient sound signal at intervals of not more than 2 minutes.
ANNEX I, section 13 is amended to read as follows:
13. High-speed craft*
(a) The masthead light of high-speed craft may be placed at a height related to the breadth of the craft lower than that prescribed in paragraph 2(a)(i) of this annex, provided that the base angle of the isosceles triangles formed by the sidelights and masthead light, when seen in end elevation, is not less than 27(.
(The words "with a length to breadth ratio of less than 3.0" were removed.)
(b) On high-speed craft of 50 meters or more in length, the vertical separation between foremast and mainmast light of 4.5 meters required by paragraph 2(a)(ii) of this annex may be modified provided that such distance shall not be less than the value determined by the following formula:
y = (a+17Y)C +2
1000
where:
· y is the height of the mainmast light above the foremast light in meters;
· a is the height of the foremast light above the water surface in service condition in meters;
· Y is the trim in service condition in degrees;
· C is the horizontal separation of masthead lights in meters.
* Refer to the International Code of Safety for High-Speed Craft, 1994 and the International Code of Safety for High-Speed Craft, 2000
ANNEX III, section 1, paragraphs (a) and (c) are amended to read as follows:
1. Whistles
(a) Frequencies and range audibility
The fundamental frequency of the signal shall lie
within the range 70-700Hz. The range of audibility of the signal from a whistle
shall be determined by those frequencies, which may include the fundamental
and/or one or more higher frequencies, which lie within the range 180-700Hz
(+/-1%) for a vessel of 20 meters or more in length, or 180-2100Hz (+/-1%)
for a vessel of less than 20 meters in length and which provide the sound
pressure levels specified in paragraph 19c0 below.
(c) Sound signal intensity and range of audibility
A whistle fitted in a vessel shall provide, in the direction of maximum
intensity of the whistle and at a distance of 1 meter from it, a sound pressure
level in at least one 1/3rd-octave band within the range of frequencies
180-700Hz (+/-1%) for a vessel of 20 meters or more in length, or
180-2100Hz (+/-1%) for a vessel of less than 20 meters in length, of not less
than the appropriate figure given in the table below.
|
Length of vessel in meters |
1/3rd-octave band level at 1 meter in dB referred to 2X10-5N/m2 |
Audibility range in nautical miles |
|
200 or more |
143 |
2 |
|
Less than 20 |
120*1 |
0.5 |
*1 When the measured frequencies lie within the range
180-450Hz
*2 When the measured frequencies lie within the range 450-800Hz
*3 When the measured frequencies lie within the range 800-2100Hz
ANNEX III, section 2, paragraph (b) is amended to read as follows:
(b) Bells and gongs shall be made of corrosion-resistant material and designed to give clear tone. The diameter of the mouth of the bell shall be not less than 300 mm for vessels of 20 meters or more in length. Where practicable, a power-driven bell striker is recommended to ensure constant force but manual operation shall be possible. The mass of the striker shall be not less than 3 per cent of the mass of the bell.
The words "and shall be not less than 200 mm for vessels of 12 meters or more but of less than 20 meters in length" were removed.