THE ASSEMBLY,

RECALLING article VI of the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972 (hereinafter referred to as "the Convention"), on amendments to the Regulations,

HAVING CONSIDERED the amendments to the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972, adopted by the Maritime Safety Committee at its seventy-third session and communicated to all Contracting Parties in accordance with paragraph 2 of article VI of the Convention; and also the recommendations of the Maritime Safety Committee concerning the entry into force of these amendments,

1. ADOPTS, in accordance with paragraph 3 of article VI of the Convention, the amendments set out in the annex to the present resolution;

2. DECIDES, in accordance with paragraph 4 of article VI of the Convention, that the amendments shall enter into force on 29 November 2003 unless by 29 May 2002 more than one third of the Contracting Parties have notified their objection to the amendments;

3. REQUESTS the Secretary-General, in conformity with paragraph 3 of article VI of the Convention, to communicate this resolution to all Contracting Parties to the Convention for acceptance;

4. INVITES Contracting Parties to submit any objections to the amendments not later than 29 May 2002 whereafter the amendments will be deemed to have been accepted to enter into force as determined in the present resolution.

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Annex

Amendments to the International Regulations
for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972

1. Rule 3

Amend paragraph (a) as follows:

1. "The word vessel includes every description of water craft, including non-displacement craft, WIG craft and seaplanes, used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water."

Add a new paragraph (m) as follows:

13. "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."




2. Rule 8

Amend paragraph (a) as follows:

1. "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."




3. Rule 18

Add a new paragraph (f) as follows:

6. "

1. A WIG craft, when taking off, landing and in flight near the surface, shall keep well clear of all other vessels and avoid impeding their navigation;

2. A WIG craft operating on the water surface shall comply with the Rules of this Part as a power-driven vessel."




4. Rule 23

Add a new paragraph (c) as follows and renumber accordingly:



3. "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."




5. Rule 31

Amend Rule 31 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."




6. Rule 33

Amend paragraph (a) as follows:

1. "A vessel of 12 m or more in length shall be provided with a whistle, a vessel of 20 m or more in length shall be provided with a bell in addition to a whistle, and a vessel of 100 m 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 specification 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."




7. Rule 35

Add a new paragraph (i) and renumber accordingly:

1. "A vessel of 12 m or more but less than 20 m 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."




8. Annex I

Amend the existing text of section 13 to read as follows:

"High-speed craft
Refer to the International Code of Safety for High-Speed Craft, 1994 and the International Code of Safety for High-Speed Craft, 2000.



1. 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°.

2. On high-speed craft of 50 m or more in length, the vertical separation between foremast and mainmast light of 4.5 m 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+17Ψ)C      1000

+2

where

y a Ψ C

is the height of the mainmast light above the foremast light in metres; is the height of the foremast light above the water surface in service condition in metres; is the trim in service condition in degrees. is the horizontal separation of masthead lights in metres."

9. Annex III

Section 1 Whistles

Amend paragraph (a) as follows:

1. "Frequencies and range of audibility

The fundamental frequency of the signal shall lie within the range 70-700 Hz. 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 180-700 Hz (+1 %) for a vessel of 20 m or more in length, or 180-2100 Hz (±1%) for a vessel of less than 20 m in length and which provide the sound pressure levels specified in paragraph 1 (c) below."




Amend paragraph (c) as follows:

3. "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 m from it, a sound pressure level in at least one 1/3-octave band within the range of frequencies 180-700 Hz (±1%) for a vessel of 20 m or more in length, or 180-2100 Hz ( + 1%) for a vessel of less than 20 m in length, of not less than the appropriate figure given in the table below.

Length of vessel          in metres	1/3-octave band level at 1 m in dB referred to 2x10-5N/m2	Audibility range in nautical miles
200 or more	143	2
75 but less than 200	138	1.5
20 but less than 75	130	1
Less than 20	120*	0.5
	115**
	111***

*    When the measured frequencies lie within the range 180-450 Hz
**   When the measured frequencies lie within the range 450-800 Hz
***  When the measured frequencies lie within the range 800-2100 Hz"

Section 2 Bell or gong

Amend paragraph (b) as follows:

2. "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 m 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% of the mass of the bell."