S.I. No. 507/2012 - Merchant Shipping (Collision Regulations) (Ships and Water Craft on the Water) Order 2012

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 metres or more in length, or 180-2100Hz (+/-1%) for a vessel of less than 20 metres in length and which provide the sound pressure levels specified in paragraph 1(c) below.

• (b) Limits of fundamental frequencies.

To ensure a wide variety of whistle characteristics, the fundamental frequency of a whistle shall be between the following limits:

• (i) 70 — 200 Hz, for a vessel 200 metres or more in length;

• (ii) 130 — 350 Hz, for a vessel 75 metres but less than 200 metres in length;

• (iii) 250 — 700 Hz, for a vessel less than 75 metres in length.

• (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 metre 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 metres or more in length, or 180-2100Hz (+/-1%) for a vessel of less than 20 metres in length, of not less than the appropriate figure given in the table below:

• (d) Directional properties.

The sound pressure level of a directional whistle shall be not more than 4dB below the prescribed sound pressure level on the axis at any direction in the horizontal plane within 45 degrees of the axis. The sound pressure level at any other direction in the horizontal plane shall be not more than 10dB below the prescribed sound pressure level on the axis, so that the range in any direction will be at least half the range on the forward axis. The sound pressure level shall be measured in that 1/3rd-octave band which determines the audibility range.

• (e) Positioning of whistles.

When a directional whistle is to be used as the only whistle on a vessel, it shall be installed with its maximum intensity directed straight ahead.

A whistle shall be placed as high as practicable on a vessel, in order to reduce interception of the emitted sound by obstructions and also to minimize hearing damage risk to personnel. The sound pressure level of the vessels own signal at listening posts shall not exceed 110dB (A) and so far as practicable should not exceed 100dB (A).

• (f) Fitting of more than one whistle.

If whistles are fitted at a distance apart of more than 100 metres, it shall be so arranged that they are not sounded simultaneously.

• (g) Combined whistle systems.

If due to the presence of obstructions the sound field of a single whistle or of one of the whistles referred to in paragraph 1(f) above is likely to have a zone of greatly reduced signal level, it is recommended that a combined whistle system be fitted so as to overcome this reduction. For the purposes of the Rules a combined whistle system is to be regarded as a single whistle. The whistles of a combined system shall be located at a distance apart of not more than 100 metres and arranged to be sounded simultaneously. The frequency of any one whistle shall differ from those of the others by at least 10Hz.

2. Bell or gong

• (a) Intensity of signal

A bell or gong, or other device having similar sound characteristics shall produce a sound pressure level of not less than 110dB at a distance of 1 metre from it.

• (b) Construction

Bells and gongs shall be made of corrosion-resistant material and designed to give a clear tone. The diameter of the mouth of the bell shall be not less than 300 mm for vessels of 20 metres 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.

4. Approvals

The construction of sound signal appliances, their performance and their installation on board the vessel shall be to the satisfaction of the appropriate authority of the state whose flag the vessel is entitled to fly.

ANNEX IV

DISTRESS SIGNALS

• (a) a gun or other explosive signal fired at intervals of about a minute;

• (b) a continuous sounding with any fog-signalling apparatus;

• (c) rockets or shells, throwing red stars fired one at a time at short intervals;

• (d) a signal made by any signalling method consisting of the group --- (SOS) in the Morse Code;

• (e) a signal sent by radiotelephony consisting of the spoken word "Mayday";

• (f) the International Code Signal of distress indicated by N.C.;

• (g) a signal consisting of a square flag having above or below it a ball or anything resembling a ball;

• (h) flames on the vessel (as from a burning tar barrel, oil barrel, etc.);

• (i) a rocket parachute flare or a hand flare showing a red light;

• (j) a smoke signal giving off orange-coloured smoke;

• (k) slowly and repeatedly raising and lowering arms outstretched to each side;

• (l) a distress alert by means of digital selective calling (DSC) transmitted on:

• (i) VHF channel 70, or

• (ii) MF/HF on the frequencies 2187.5 kHz, 8414.5 kHz, 4207.5 kHz, 6312 kHz, 12577 kHz or 16804.5 kHz;

• (m) a ship-to-shore distress alert transmitted by the ship’s Inmarsat or other mobile satellite service provider ship earth station;

• (n) signals transmitted by emergency position-indicating radio beacons.

• (o) approved signals transmitted by radio communication systems, including survival craft radar transponders.

• (a) a piece of orange-coloured canvas with either a black square and circle or other appropriate symbol (for identification from the air);

• (b) a dye marker.

Schedule 2

Article 5

COUNTRIES WHICH HAVE ACCEPTED THE INTERNATIONAL REGULATIONS

GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Government,

11 December 2012.

ENDA KENNY,

Taoiseach.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

(This Note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation.)

This Order provides that the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea 1972 (as amended by Resolutions A.464(12), A.626(15), A.678(16), A.736(18), A.910(22) and A.1004(25)) of the International Maritime Organisation set out in Schedule 1 to the Order shall, with the exception of Rule 37 and Annex IV thereof, constitute the collision regulations referred to in the Merchant Shipping Act 1894 and the Air Navigation and Transport Act 1936 . The list of countries which accept the International Regulations is updated in Schedule 2.

This Order consolidates the collision regulations in this new statutory instrument and the previous instruments, the Collision Regulations (Ships and Water Craft on the Water) Order 1984 and the amending Orders made in 1990, 1993 and 2005, are revoked.