CHAPTER VII
MISCELLANEOUS SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT
1 General Provisions
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The Administration may require navigation, control or communication equipment, in excess of the equipment specifically required by the Code, on a vessel which is of a novel design, operates at high speeds in restricted or high traffic areas, or which operates on extended routes or in remote locations.
2 Navigation Lights, Shapes and Sound Signals
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2.1 A vessel shall comply with the requirements of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972 (Collision Regulations).
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2.2 Where it can be demonstrated to the Administration that, for a particular vessel, full compliance with the Collision Regulations is impracticable, proposals for an equivalent arrangement may be considered.
3 Charts and Nautical Publications
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3.1 A vessel shall carry up-to-date charts, appropriate for the intended voyage, of a large enough scale to enable safe navigation.
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3.2 Other Nautical publications such as sailing directions, lists of lights, notices to mariners, tide tables and all other nautical publications to be carried, appropriate to the area of operation, include: as required and approved by the Administration, shall be carried on board and shall be adequate and up to date.
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3.3 Extracts from the publications listed in VII/3.2 for the areas to be transited may be provided instead of the complete publication.
4 Navigation Equipment
4.1 Compass
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4.1.1 Except as otherwise provided in VII/4.1.2 every vessel shall be fitted with a suitable magnetic compass designed for marine use, to be mounted at the primary operating station. The compass shall be illuminated.
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4.1.2 The following vessels need not be fitted with a compass—
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.1 a vessel certified for operation in protected waters
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.2 a non-self propelled vessel; and
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.3 a vessel operating on short restricted routes in coastal waters in daylight.
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4.21.3 On vessels certified for operation in exposed waters the compass shall be swung at least annually and a deviation card provided near to the compass.
4.2 Radar
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4.32.1 A vessel certified to operate in coastal or exposed waters which carries 50 or more passengers shall be fitted with marine radar system for surface navigation approved by the Administration, with a radar screen mounted at the operating station. The radar and its installation shall be suitable for the intended speed and operating area of the vessel.
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4.42.2 A vessel certified to operate in protected waters need not be fitted with a radar where the Administration determines it is not necessary due to the vessel's operating area and local weather conditions.
4.3 Position fixing device
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4.5 A vessel certified for operation in exposed waters shall be equipped with an electronic position fixing device to the satisfaction of the Administration, capable of providing accurate fixes for the area in which the vessel operates.
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4.4 Other Navigation Equipment
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A passenger vessel operating in exposed waters shall be provided with
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• An echo sounder
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• Device for measuring speed and distance through the water.
5 Radio and Signalling Equipment
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5.1 All vessels shall be fitted with a marine VHF radio installation. In addition, vessels certified for operation in exposed waters shall be fitted with an INMARSAT-C system or other system appropriate to the sea area designated by the Administration under regulation IV/5 of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 as amended (SOLAS), capable of meeting the appropriate requirements of Chapter IV, Part C of SOLAS.
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5.2 A durable placard shall be posted next to all radio telephone installations with the emergency broadcast instructions and information, specific to the individual vessel. The emergency broadcast instructions given in Annex 6, placed on a placard, shall satisfy the requirement for emergency broadcast instructions in vessels fitted with VHF and MF marine radios not compatible with the requirements of Chapter IV, Part C of SOLAS.
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5.3.1 When the electrical supply to radio equipment is from a battery, charging facilities, which are capable of recharging them to the minimum capacity requirements given in VII/5.3.3 within 10 hours, or a duplicate battery of capacity sufficient for the voyage shall be provided.
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5.3.2 The battery electrical supply to radio equipment shall be protected against flooding or swamping as far as practicable and arranged so that radio communications are not interrupted. When the efficiency of the required protection against flooding/swamping cannot be guaranteed, in the case of batteries located below the freeboard deck, an efficiently protected battery supply to the radio equipment shall be provided above the freeboard deck.
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5.3.3 When fully charged, the batteries shall provide at least six hours of operation to ensure effective use of the Radio installation.
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5.3.4 Each battery shall be installed in accordance with regulation IV/21.
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5.4 Passenger vessels shall be fitted with a daylight signalling lamp, or other means to communicate by light using a source of power not solely dependent on the ship's power supply. Other vessels operating during the hours of darkness shall be provided with an efficient waterproof electric torch suitable for signalling.
6 Public address systems
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6.1 This regulation applies to passenger vessels.
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6.2 Except as noted in VII/6.5 and VII/6.6, each passenger vessel shall be equipped with a public address system.
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6.3 On a vessel of 20m (65 feet) or more in length, the public address system shall be a fixed installation and be audible during normal operating conditions throughout the accommodation spaces and all other spaces normally manned by crew members.
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6.4 A vessel with more than one passenger deck and a vessel with overnight accommodation shall have the public address system operable from the operating station.
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6.5 On a vessel of less than 20m (65 feet) in length, a battery powered bullhorn may serve as the public address system where it can be demonstrated to be audible throughout the accommodation spaces of the vessel during normal operating conditions. The bullhorn's batteries shall be continually maintained at a fully charged level by use of a battery charger or other means acceptable to the Administration.
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6.6 On a vessel of less than 20m (65 feet) in length carrying less than 50 passengers, a public address system is not required where the Administration is satisfied that a public announcement made from the operating station without amplification can be heard throughout the accommodation spaces of the vessel during normal operating conditions.
7 Mooring and Ground Tackle
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7.1 A vessel shall be fitted with ground tackle in accordance with Annex 7, stowed and ready for deployment, and mooring lines necessary for the vessel to be safely anchored or moored. The ground tackle and mooring lines provided shall be suitable for the size of vessel and waters in which it operates and be acceptable to the Administration. In vessels of less than 12m in length certified to operate only in protected waters, the Administration may permit the carriage of one anchor.
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7.2 The length of anchor cable attached to an anchor shall be appropriate to the area of operation but generally shall be not less than 4 times the vessel length overall for each of the main and kedge anchors.
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7.3 When the anchor cable is of rope or wire, there shall be not less than one metre of chain for each metre of vessel length, up to 10m, between the rope and the anchor.
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7.4 When an anchor is more than 30kg, an efficient mechanical means shall be provided for handling the anchor.
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7.5 There shall be a strong securing point on the foredeck and a fairlead or roller at the stem head, which can be closed over the cable.
8 First Aid Kit
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8.1 A vessel shall carry a first aid kit approved by the Administration. The kit shall consist of a watertight container capable of holding all the items specified in Annex 8, with directions for use, stowed in a suitable container that is marked, “First Aid Kit”. A first aid kit shall be easily visible and readily available to the crew.
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8.2 A first aid kit, which complies with the provisions of Annex 8, shall be accepted as satisfying the requirements of VII/8.1.
9 Cooking and Heating
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9.1 Cooking and heating equipment shall be suitable for marine use and shall be designed and installed to the satisfaction of the Administration.
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9.2 Gasoline shall not be used for cooking, heating or lighting on board a vessel.
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9.3 Subject to VII/9.4, fire places or other heating and cooking equipment with open flames shall not be used on board a vessel.
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9.4 Liquefied and non-liquefied gases may be used as cooking fuels where the installation of such system is to the satisfaction of the Administration. Open gas flame appliances, other than cooking stoves, domestic refrigerators or water heaters are not permitted. Spaces containing any such stoves or water heaters shall have adequate ventilation to remove fumes and possible gas leakage to a safe space. All pipes conveying gas from a container to an appliance shall be of steel or other appropriate material. Automatic safety gas shut-off devices shall be fitted to operate on loss of pressure in the gas main pipe or flame failure on any appliance.
10 Pollution Prevention Equipment and Procedures
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10.1 All oily waste shall be retained on board for proper disposal ashore. Vessels fitted with approved oily water separators may discharge into the sea when the content of the effluent without dilution does not exceed 15 parts per million.
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10.2 Garbage shall be disposed of in accordance with the following—
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.1 disposal into the sea of the following is prohibited—
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(a) all plastics, including but not limited to synthetic ropes, synthetic fishing nets and plastic garbage bags; and
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(b) all other garbage, including paper products, rags, glass, metal, bottles, crockery, dunnage, lining and packing materials;
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.2 except as provided in.3, disposal into the sea of food wastes shall be made as far as practicable from land, but in any case not less than 12 nautical miles from the nearest land;
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.3 disposal of food wastes which have been passed through a comminuter or grinder shall be made as far as practicable from land, but in any case not less than 3 nautical miles from the nearest land. Such comminuted or ground food wastes shall be capable of passing through a screen with openings no greater than 25mm; and
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.4 garbage mixed with other discharges having more stringent disposal or discharge requirements.
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10.3 Regulations VII/10.1 and VII/10.2 shall not apply to—
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.1 discharges or disposals into the sea necessary for the purpose of securing the safety of the vessel and those on board or saving life at sea; or
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.2 the discharge or escape of oil, waste or garbage into the sea resulting from damage to the vessel or its equipment provided all reasonable precautions have been taken before or after the occurrence of the damage for the purpose of preventing or minimising the discharge or escape.
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10.4 A new vessel with toilet facilities capable of discharging waste to the sea shall be fitted with a holding tank of suitable size to accommodate the total number of persons on board for the duration of the voyage. Guidance on the size of the holding tank required is given in Annex 9.
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10.5 A sewage treatment plant which meets the operational requirements given in the Recommendation on International Effluent Standards and Guidelines for Performance Tests for Sewage Treatment Plants adopted by the Marine Environment Protection Committee of the International Maritime Organization by Resolution MEPC.2(VI) may be fitted in lieu of the holding tank required by VII/10.4