REVISED STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS
1996 No. 75
MERCHANT SHIPPING SAFETY
The Merchant Shipping (Distress Signals and Prevention of Collisions) Regulations 1996
Coming into force: 1st May 1996
The Secretary of State for Transport, hereby makes the following Regulations:-
These Regulations may be cited as the Merchant Shipping (Distress Signals and Prevention of Collisions) Regulations 1996 and, subject to paragraph (2) below, shall come into force on 1st May 1996.
These Regulations shall not have effect in relation to a vessel until noon on 1st May 1996.
These Regulations apply to the following vessels-
United Kingdom ships wherever they may be, and other ships while within the United Kingdom or the territorial waters thereof; and
Seaplanes registered in the United Kingdom and on the surface of water anywhere, and other seaplanes on the surface of water in the United Kingdom or the territorial waters thereof.
MERCHANT SHIPPING NOTICE of the MARINE SAFETY AGENCY
No. M.1642/COLREG 1
The Merchant Shipping (Distress Signals and Prevention of Collisions) Regulations 1996
Notice to Owners, Masters, Skippers, Officers and Crew of Merchant Ships, Fishing Vessels, Pleasure Vessels, Yachts and Other Seagoing Craft
This Notice and the Rules referred to in it are an integral part of the Merchant Shipping (Distress Signals and Prevention of Collisions) Regulations 1996, which come into force on 1 May 1996. These Regulations implement the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972, as amended. They enhance safe navigation, by prescribing the conduct of vessels underway, specify the display of internationally understood lights and sound signals and set out collision avoidance actions in close quarter situations.
Marine Safety Agency
Spring Place
105 Commercial Road
SOUTHAMPTON
SO15 1EG
United Kingdom
March 1996
INTERNATIONAL REGULATIONS FOR PREVENTING COLLISIONS AT SEA, 1972
(as amended by Resolutions A464(XII), A626(15), A678(16) and A736(18))
These Rules shall apply to all vessels upon the high seas and in all waters connected therewith navigable by seagoing vessels.
Nothing in these Rules shall interfere with the operation of special rules made by an appropriate authority for roadsteads, harbours, rivers, lakes or inland waterways connected with the high seas and navigable by seagoing vessels. Such special rules shall conform as closely as possible to these Rules.
Nothing in these Rules shall interfere with the operation of any special rules made by the Government of any State with respect to additional station or signal lights, shapes or whistle signals for ships of war and vessels proceeding under convoy, or with respect to additional station or signal lights or shapes for fishing vessels engaged in fishing as a fleet. These additional station or signal lights, shapes or whistle signals shall, so far as possible, be such that they cannot be mistaken for any light, shape or signal authorized elsewhere under these Rules.
is a training program for learning the 1972 International Collision Regulations. Specifically, NavRules contains the complete set of light patterns, dayshapes, and sound signals that form the foundation of an internationally recognized method of recognizing vessels and obstructions in various degrees of visibility. The complete set of these rules is also provided as a Windows help file for easy reference. NavRules also contains a companion program that teaches the international code flags used on many commercial and foreign vessels.