Resolution MSC.253(83)
ADOPTION OF THE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS FOR NAVIGATION LIGHTS, NAVIGATION LIGHT
CONTROLLERS AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT
(adopted on 8 October 2007)
THE MARITIME SAFETY COMMITTEE,
RECALLING Article 28(b) of the Convention on the
International Maritime Organization concerning the functions of the Committee,
RECALLING ALSO resolution A.886(21), by which the
Assembly resolved that the function of adopting performance standards and
technical specifications, as well as amendments thereto shall be performed by
the Maritime Safety Committee and/or the Marine Environment Protection
Committee, as appropriate, on behalf of the Organization,
RECALLING FURTHER Rule 21, Rule 23 and Rule 34(b) of
the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at
sea (COLREGs), 1972, concerning the requirements on the use of Navigation
Lights,
NOTING that that the purpose of Navigation Lights is
to identify ships and to notify their intentions at sea and that the purpose of
Navigation Light Controllers is to provide means of control and monitoring of
the status of navigation lights onboard the vessel to the Officer of the Watch
(OOW),
RECOGNIZING the need to develop performance
standards for Navigation Lights, Navigation Light Controllers and associated
equipment to be fitted onboard vessels in accordance with COLREGs,
HAVING CONSIDERED the recommendation made by the
Sub-Committee on Safety of Navigation at its fifty-third session, and the
Maritime Safety Committee at its eighty-third session,
1. ADOPTS the Recommendation on Performance
Standards for Navigation Lights, Navigation Light Controllers and associated
equipment, set out in the annex to the present resolution;
2. RECOMMENDS Governments ensure that Navigation
Lights, Navigation Light Controllers and associated equipment installed on or
after 1 January 2009 conform to performance standards not inferior to those
specified in the annex to the present resolution.
Annex.
PERFORMANCE STANDARDS FOR NAVIGATION LIGHTS, NAVIGATION LIGHT CONTROLLERS AND
ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT
1. Scope
These performance standards apply to Navigation
Lights (NLs), Navigation Light Controllers (NLCs) and associated equipment to
be fitted onboard vessels in accordance with COLREGs. These equipment should be
designed, tested, installed and maintained based on these standards, taking
into account that the purpose of Navigation Lights is to identify ships and to
notify their intentions at sea and that the purpose of a Navigation Lights
Controller is to provide means of control and monitoring of the status of
navigation lights onboard the vessel to the Officer of the Watch (OOW).
2. Application
In addition to the general requirements set out in
resolution A.694(17)1, navigation lights, navigation lights
controllers and associated equipment should meet the requirements of these
standards.
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1 Refer to publication IEC
60945.
3. Definitions
3.1 Associated equipment means equipment necessary
for the operation of NLs and NLCs.
3.2 COLREGs means Convention on the International
Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972, including their annexes.
3.3 Lamp means a source producing light, including
incandescent sources, Light Emitting Diodes (LED) and other non-incandescent
sources.
3.4 Length means the length overall.
3.5 Navigation Light (NL) means the following
lights:
.1
masthead light, sidelights, sternlight, towing light, all-round light, flashing
light as defined in Rule 21 of COLREGs;
.2
all-round flashing yellow light required for air-cushion vessels by Rule 23 of
COLREGs; and
.3
manoeuvring light required by Rule 34(b) of COLREGs.
The light source includes lamps, its housing,
placing and means for delimiting the angle of lighting.
3.6 Navigation Light Controller (NLC) means a device
enabling operational control of a Navigation Light.
3.7 SOLAS means the International Convention for the
Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, as amended.
4. Navigation Lights
4.1 General
4.1.1 Unless expressly required otherwise, NLs
should appear steady and non-flashing.
4.1.2 Lenses of NLs should be produced in a robust,
non-corroding material, which should ensure a long-term durability for the
optical qualities of the lens.
4.1.3 A masthead light, sidelights and a sternlight
installed on board a ship not less than 50 m in length should be duplicated or
be fitted with duplicate lamps.
4.1.4 Only lamps specified by the manufacturer
should be used in each particular NL to avoid reduction of NL's performance due
to unsuitable lamps.
4.1.5 A sufficient number of spare lamps for NLs
should be carried onboard, taking into account the duplication of NLs or lamps,
as appropriate.
4.2 Luminous intensity distribution
4.2.1 In the horizontal directions where decrease of
luminous intensity to "practical cut-off" is required by section 9 of
Annex I to COLREGs, the luminous intensity should be no more than 10% of the
average luminous intensity within the prescribed sector for vessels not less
than 12 m in length.
4.2.2 Within the prescribed sector in which the
minimum luminous intensity is required by section 9 of Annex I to COLREGs, the
horizontal intensity distribution of the light should be uniform in such a way
that the measured minimum and maximum luminous intensity values (in candelas)
do not differ by more than a factor of 1.5, to avoid luminous intensity changes
which may result in the appearance of a flashing light for vessels not less
than 12 m in length.
4.2.3 Within the prescribed sector in which the
minimum luminous intensity is required by section 10 of Annex I to COLREGs, the
vertical intensity distribution of the light should be uniform in such a way
that the measured minimum and maximum luminous intensity values (in candelas)
do not differ by more than a factor of 1.5, to avoid luminous intensity changes
which may result in the appearance of a flashing light for vessels not less
than 12 m in length.
4.3 Special requirements for lights using
LEDs
The luminous intensity of LEDs gradually decreases
while the electricity consumption remains unchanged. The rate of decrease of
luminous intensity depends on the output of LEDs and temperatures of LEDs. To
prevent shortage of luminous intensity of LEDs:
.1
An alarm function should be activated to notify the Officer of the Watch that
the luminous intensity of the light reduces below the level required by
COLREGs;
or
.2
LEDs should only be used within the lifespan (practical term of validity)
specified by the manufacturer to maintain the necessary luminous intensity of
LEDs. The lifespan of LEDs should be determined and clearly notified by the
manufacturer based on the appropriate test results on the decrease of luminous
intensity of the LEDs under various temperature conditions and on the
temperature condition of LEDs in the light during operation, taking the appropriate
margin into account.
5. Navigation Light Controller
5.1 An NLC should facilitate ON/OFF controls of
individual NLs.
5.2 An NLC should provide visual indications of
"ON"/"OFF" status of NLs.
5.3 Pre-programmed NL group settings may be
provided.
5.4 An NLC on board a ship not less than 50 m in
length should provide the alarm for:
.1
failure of power supply to NLs; and
.2
failure, including short circuit, of a lamp which is switched ON.
5.5 An NLC on board a ship not less than 50 m in
length should present the status of all NLs in a logical presentation, meeting
the requirements set out in resolution MSC.191(79), e.g., by symbol marks on a
display.
5.6 All indicators of an NLC should be dimmable to
ensure easy reading without disturbing the night vision of the Officer of the
Watch. The brightness of a display, if fitted, of an NLC should be
controllable.
5.7 An NLC should support the use of standardized
serial interfaces for marine navigation and communication systems2.
5.8 The NLC should have a bi-directional interface
to transfer alarms to external systems and receive acknowledgements of alarms
from external systems. The interface should comply with the relevant
international standards2.
______________
2 Refer to IEC 61162 series.
6. Power supply and fallback arrangements
6.1 Each NL should be connected, via separate
circuits, to a NLC located on the bridge in order to avoid any NL failure,
including short circuit, that affect any other NLs connected to the NLC. A NLC
may only be additionally connected to special signal lights such as lights
required by canal authorities.
6.2 It should be possible to operate the NLC and NLs
when supplied by an emergency source of electrical power in accordance with the
appropriate requirements of chapter II-1 of the 1974 SOLAS Convention, as
amended.
6.3 Automatic switch over to the alternative source
of power is permitted.
7. Associated equipment
Screens for sidelight may be a part of a ship's
structure. All