S.I. No. 282/1985:

MERCHANT SHIPPING (CARRIAGE OF NAUTICAL PUBLICATIONS) REGULATIONS, 1985.

MERCHANT SHIPPING (CARRIAGE OF NAUTICAL PUBLICATIONS) REGULATIONS, 1985.

I, JAMES MITCHELL, Minister for Communications, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 5 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1981 (No. 33 of 1981), and the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act, 1983 (No. 40 of 1983) hereby make the following Regulations:--

1. (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Merchant Shipping (Carriage of Nautical Publications) Regulations, 1985 and shall come into operation on the 16th day of September, 1985.

(2) The Merchant Shipping (Carriage of Nautical Publications) Regulations, 1983 ( S.I. No. 311 of 1983 ), are hereby revoked.

2. These Regulations apply to all ships registered in the State other than--

(a) those which are less than 12 metres in length, and

(b) fishing vessels.

3. The Minister hereby specifies the charts described in Regulation 4 below and the directions and information mentioned in Regulation 5 below, as the charts, directions and information which appear to him necessary or expedient for the safe operation of ships to which these Regulations apply.

4. The said charts are those--

(a) which are of such a scale and which contain sufficient detail as clearly to show--

(i) all navigational marks which may be used by a ship when navigating the waters which are comprised in the chart,

(ii) all known dangers affecting those waters, and

(iii) information concerning any traffic separation schemes, two-way routes, recommended tracks, inshore traffic zones and deep-water routes applicable to those waters and are as therein which are to be avoided;

(b) which, in all cases, are of the latest obtainable edition and have been corrected and kept up to date from the latest relevant obtainable Notices to Mariners and Radio Navigational Warnings.

5. The said directions and information are such as is contained in the publications mentioned in the Schedule to these Regulations which are obtainable from the publishers specified in a Marine Notice issued by the Department of Communications, being publications which, in all cases, are of the latest obtainable edition and which incorporate the latest relevant supplements and, in the case of any such publication which is published otherwise than by the publisher specified in a Marine Notice, is of equivalent standard and content.

6. Every ship to which these Regulations apply which goes to sea or attempts to go to sea shall carry, in a place readily available to the officer of the watch, at least--

(a) one copy of a chart which complies with the requirements specified in Regulation 4 above, being a chart which is appropriate for each part of the intended voyage; and

(b) except in the case of a ship which does not intend to go to sea beyond a distance of 5 nautical miles from any coastline, one copy of each of the publications mentioned in the Schedule to these Regulations (see Regulation 5) as is appropriate for that voyage.

SCHEDULE

Publications, Directions and Information.

(a) International Code of Signals.

(b) Illustrated table of Life Saving Signals.

(c) Marine Notices.

(d) Mariners Handbook.

(e) Notices to Mariners.

(f) Nautical Almanac.

(g) Navigational Tables.

(h) Lists of Radio Signals.

(i) Lists of Lights.

(j) Sailing Directions.

(k) Tide Tables.

(l) Tidal Stream Atlases

(m) Operating and Maintenance instructions for navigational aids carried by the ship.

GIVEN under my Official Seal, this 2nd day of September, 1985.

JAMES MITCHELL,

Minister for Communications.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

These Regulations give effect to the provisions of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea 1974, relating to the carriage of nautical publications.

They revoke the Merchant Shipping (Carriage of Nautical Publications) Regulations, 1983 ( S.I. No. 311 of 1983 ) and re-enact the provisions of that Instrument with the addition of the Illustrated table of Life Saving Signals as a scheduled publication.

The Regulations require ships registered in the State (other than those of less than 12 metres in length and fishing vessels) which go or attempt to go to sea to carry charts containing sufficient detail to show navigational marks, known dangers and other specified information which is appropriate for each part of the intended voyage. Ships intending to go to sea beyond 5 nautical miles from any coastline are also required to carry specified published directions and information.

All such charts and publications are to be carried on the ship in a place readily available to the officer of the watch.