DECREE No.40-CP OF JULY 5,1996 OF THE GOVERNMENT ON ENSURING NAVIGATION ORDERS AND SAFETY ON INLAND WATERWAYS

Section II : SIGNALS

Article 60- General rules:

A-Concerning sound signals:

•  All operating means must be equipped with siren or bell or gong.
•  All motorized means with capacity of 30 HP and more must be equipped with sirens that can be heard from at least 500m.
•  All motorized means with capacity of less than 30 HP must be equipped with siren that can be heard from at least 300m.
•  A long siren lasts 4-6 seconds, a short siren about 1 second, and the interval between two sirens is about 1 second.
•  A rudimentary means must use siren, bell or gong that can be heard from at least 100m.

B. About signal lamps:

•  During night time (from sundown to sunrise) and during day time when visibility is not good outside 300m, the means must light its lamps as prescribed. The lamps must be kept lighted continually and must not wait until an approaching means is in sight and then are put out.
•  Specifications for the lamps:

a) Light intensity of the various kinds of lamps when the night is dark but the sky is clear:

The white lamp of the means of Category A must be clearly seen from a distance of 1500m.

The white lamp of the means of Categories C, D and E must be clearly seen from a distance of 1,000m.

The color lamp of the means Categories A and B must be clearly seen from a distance of 1,000m.

The color lamp of the means Categories C, E, F must be clearly seen from a distance of 800m.

b) The lighting range of the types of traveling lamps on the means Categories A, B, and C is prescribed as follows:

A fore lamp on a means Category A: the light must be 225 o facing forward and evenly distributed to both sides of the means.

A green lamp on a means Categories A and C: 112 o 30' parallel with the length of the means from fore to the starboard.

A red lamp on a means Categories A and C: 112 o 30' parallel with the length of the means from for to port.

Half-green and half-red lamp: the green half to the starboard, the red half to port on a means Category B, scope of each light 180 o lengthwise with the means.

White lamp on a means Categories A and C: the light must be 135 o from the aft lengthwise with the means and evenly distributed to both sides.

c) Green lamp and red lamp on means Categories A and C must have a shield so that the red light cannot be seen from the right side of the fore, and the green lamp cannot be seen from the left side of the fore.

Apart from the lamps prescribed for means Categories A, B and C of this Article, the other lamps prescribed in this Decree must be seen from all sides (360 o ).

C-About signals:

The signs must be put up from sunrise to sundown at the most visible places and the colors must be clear.

D- On signal banners:

Meaning of the signal banners printed at Appendix No.1 attached to this Decree.

Article 61- Operation signals:

1. A traveling means when seeing another means must send out the appropriate operation sound signal to announce its direction:

•  A short sound means that I am moving on my right.
•  Two short sounds mean that I am moving on my left.
•  Three short sounds mean that I am moving backwards.

2. Apart from the sound signals prescribed in Item 1 of this Article, the means may at the same time send out light signals:

•  A flash means that I am moving on my right.
•  Two flashes mean I am moving on my left.
•  Three flashes mean that I am moving backwards.

Each flash lasts one second, the interval between two flashes is about one second.

The lamp used to send out this signal must be a white lamp that can be seen from all sides from a distance of a least 1,000m.

Article 62- Information signals:

A means shall inform others of its operating state by the following sound signals:

Four short sounds: calling for help other means.

Five short sounds: cannot give way.

A long sound: attention, take caution, asking for passage.

Two long sounds: stop.

Three long sounds: about to enter port, leaving port, farewell.

Four long sounds: asking for opening of bridge, culvert, water-lock.

Three short sounds followed by three long sounds followed by three short sounds: someone has fallen into water.

A long sound followed by two short sounds : the means has run aground, the means is measuring the water flow, the means is building a construction project.

Two long sounds followed by two short sounds: the means has lost control of its operation.

Sail boat: a short sound : the wind is blowing on the starboard; two short sounds: the wind is blowing on port; three short sounds: the wind is blowing on the aft.

Article 63- Signals in case of limited visibility:

•  In case of fog, heavy rain or smoke which limits visibility to under 300m the means has to send out the following sound signals:
•  A long sound every two minutes: the means is slowing down or has switched off engine but is still moving.
•  Two long sounds every two minutes: the means has switched off engine and is no longer moving.

2. The sound must be sent out continuously until visibility has extended to 300m.

Article 64- Classification of means for the use of signals:

The means operating on inland waterways are divided into the following six categories:

Category A: Motorized means with capacity of 30 HP and more.

Category B: Motorized means with capacity of less than 30 HP.

Category C: Barges and boats with capacity of 30 tons and more.
Category D: Barges and boats with capacity of less than 30 tons.

Category E: Rafts more than 25m long and more than 5m wide.

Category F: Rafts less than 50m long and les than 5m wide.

Article 65- Traveling lamps for means sailing alone:

•  Category A:

•  A white fore lamp on the longitudinal axis of the ship at least 3m above water level when the ship is fully loaded.

•  Two side lamps: green lamp on the right and red lamp on the left placed laterally close to the vertical plane of the ship side. The side lamp must be placed at least one fourth lower than the height of the white fore lamp.

•  A white lamp on the aft.

•  Category B:

A half-green, half-red light that can be seen from all sides placed on the longitudinal axis of the ship at least 2m above water level at the most visible place when the ship is fully loaded.

•  Category C:

•  Two side lamps, green on the right and red on the left.

•  A white lamp on the aft.

•  Category D:

A white lamp that can be seen from all sides at least 2m above the deck.

•  Category E:

•  A red lamp in the center of the raft.

•  Two white lamps on the longitudinal axis of the raft, one at the fore and one at the aft of the raft.

If the raft is more than 15m wide, the white lamp on the longitudinal axis can be dispensed with, but four white lamps must be lighted on the fourth corners of the raft.

The lamp must be at least 1.5m above water level.

•  Category F:

A red lamp in the center of the raft at least 1.5m above water level.

Article 66- Signals on a convoy of tug boats:

•  Signals on a tug boat (means Category A)

•  Apart from the prescribed traveling lamps, right after tying the tug rope, the tug boat must light the following additional lamps:

A white fore lamp which adds up to two white fore lamps, if the convoy is less than 100m long (from the fore of the tug boat to the aft of the last tugged means).

Two white lamps above the white fore lamp which add up to three white fore lamps, if the convoy is 100m and more long.

The additional white lamps must be of the same modals as the white fore lamp and superposed 1m one above the other on a vertical line.

•  In day time, each white fore lamp shall be replaced by a sign consisting of two interlacing black circles 0.3m in diameter.

•  Signals on the tug boat (means Category B):

•  Apart from the half-green and half-red lamps, right after tying the tug rope, the tug boat must light another white lamp that can be seen form all sides (360 o ) on the same vertical line and 0.5m higher than the half-green, half-red lamp is replaced by two signs, each consisting of two interlacing black circles 0.3m in diameter.

•  In daytime, the white lamp and the half-green, half-red lamp is replaced by two signs, each consisting of two interlacing black circles 0.3m in diameter.

•  Signals on the tugged means:

•  Means Categories A and C shall light only the side lamps with an additional white lamp on the aft of the last means that can be seen from all sides and from a distance of 1,000m, and at least 3m above the deck of the means.

If the tugged means move in rows, the outside means shall light only a corresponding side lamp of its own. The means in the center need not light their lamps.

•  Means Categories B, D, E, and F, shall light lamps as in case of lone traveling.

•  If the ship tugs only one boat without passengers and the distance from the aft of the boat to the aft the ships does not exceed 6m, the boat needs not light its lamp.

Article 67- Signals on the convoy of lightering boats:

•  Signals on the tug boat (means Category A):

At night, apart from the lamps prescribed for means of its category, the tug boat must light an additional white lamp 1m higher than the fore white lamp and of the same type as the fore white lamp.

In daytime, each fore white lamp shall be replaced by a sign consisting of two interlacing black circles, each 0.3m in diameter.

•  Signs on tug boat (means Category B):

As prescribed for tug boats in Item 2 Article 65.

•  If it is a means Category A or C side lamps and the piloting lamp shall be lighted.

•  If it is a means Category B, D, or F the outermost means shall light the lamps as in lone sailing. The inside means need not light their lamps.

•  If it is a raft Category E only a red lamp in the center of the raft and two white lamps on the two outer corners are needed. The lamps must be at least 1.5m above the raft.

•  Article 68- Signals on push convoy.

•  Signals on push boat (means Category A).

•  At night, apart from the lamps prescribed for boats of its category, a push boat shall also light a green lamp, lighting range 360 o C placed 1m higher than the fore white lamp clearly visible from 1,000m.

•  In daytime, the green lamp shall be replaced by a sign consisting of two interlacing back isosceles pointed upward, 0.3mby each side.

•  Signals on push boat (means Category B):

•  At night, apart from the lamps prescribed for means of its category, an additional green lamp must be lighted 0.5m higher than the half-green and half-red lamp and can be seen from all sides from 1,000m.

•  In daytime, a sign shall be put up as prescribed in Item 1 of this Article.

•  Signals on tugged means:

•  If it is a means Category A or C, the green lamp shall be put on the right side, and the red light on the left, and lighted only at the leading means. No side lamps is necessary for other means. The tugged means need not light the piloting lamp.

•  If it is a means Category B, the leading means shall light a lamp as in the case of lone sailing.

•  If the means are paired, side lamps shall be lighted as prescribed for the outside means, the inside means does not need to light lamp.

Article 69- Signals on a convoy of mixed tug boats:

•  Signals on the tug boat:

•  Signals on the main tug boat (means Category A)

Apart from the lamps prescribed for the means of its category, the main tug boat must light two additional green lamps on the same vertical line as the fore white lamp, lighting range 360 o C, placed 1m above and beneath the fore white lamp.

In daytime, each of these lamps is replaced by a sign consisting of two interlacing black rectangles size 0.3m x 0.6m.

•  Signals on the main tug boat (means Category B)

At night, apart from the lamps prescribed for the means of its category, the main tug boat must light two additional green lamps 0.5m apart on the same vertical line as the half-green, half-red lamps, lighting range 360 o C, 0.5m higher than the half-green, half-red lamp and clearly visible from 1,000m.

In daytime, signals shall be put up as prescribed in Item 1 of this Article.

•  Signals on support ships:

Depending on the position of the support ship for tugging, pushing or lightering, signals for daytime and night use shall be used as prescribed for tug boats, push boats or lightering boats which are means Category A or B (stipulated in Article 66, Article 67, Article 68).

3. Signals on tugged means:

At night, only one outside lamp shall be lighted as prescribed for the outermost means. No need to light lamps on the inside means.

Article 70- Signals on the means which have lost control of its operation:

•  A motorized means which has lost control of its operation at night must light a red lamp and put it on a high place where it is most visible. If momentum remains, aside lamp and a piloting lamp shall be lighted (for means Category B).

•  In daytime, the red lamp shall be replaced by a sign consisting of two black interlacing lozenges measuring 0.3m by each side.

Article 71- Signals on anchored means:

For a means less than 45m long, a white lamp shall be lighted at the stern at least 2m above the deck.

For a means more than 45m long, one more white lamp shall be added at the bow and 1m lower than the fore white lamp.

In case the means anchors in a narrow lane, one additional white lamp shall be lighted where the means protrudes the nearest to the lane.

Raft moored outside the landing stage: a red light shall be lighted in the center of the raft and on the side of the passage of ships, two white lamps shall be put at the corner of the raft.

In daytime, the moored means shall hang at its fore a sign consisting of two interlacing black circles 0.3m in diameter.

Article 72- Signals on a means which runs aground on its lane:

•  On the traveling lane, if a means runs aground and if the rest of the lane is still navigable, a red light must be lighted at the lamp post 1m above the green lamp.

In daytime, the red and green lamps shall be replaced by a sign consisting of two interlacing black squares 0.3m by each side.

On the navigable part of the lane, a white lamp shall be hung 1m above the main deck (for a means less than 45m long), the second white lamp 1m above the first.

•  In case the lane is fully blocked, two red lamps 1m apart must be put up one above the other.

In daytime, the two red lamps shall be replaced by two signs, each consisting of two interlacing black squares 0.3m by each side.

If the means runs aground at a cross lane or a river bend which limits visibility to less than 500m, the means must assign their personnel to guard and send out signals as prescribed in Item 8 of Article 62 of this Decree.

The above signals must be sent out by the driver of the means right after the means runs aground.

Article 73- Signals of means on mission on inland waterways:

The means on mission about lanes and hydrology or of building a construction shall use signals like a means having run aground (Article 72).

Article 74- Signals on passenger transport means:

•  Motorized means for transport of passengers:

At night, apart from the lamps prescribed for means categories A and B sailing alone, a blink white lamp (one second of interval) shall be operated continuously during the whole travel and visible at least within 1,000m. The blinking white lamp shall be placed 1m higher than the fore white lamp (for means Category A) and 0.5m higher than the half-green and half-red lamps (for means Category B).

•  Rudimentary passenger transport means:

At night, two white lamps shall be hung on the same vertical line 0.5m from each other.

Article 75- Signals on means transporting inflammable and explosive substances:

Apart from the lamps prescribed for the categories of means sailing alone, an additional red lamp must be lighted beside the lamp post, at least 1m higher than the fore white lamp. Boast and barges shall hang red lamps at the fore at least 3m above deck.

In daytime, the red lamps shall be replaced by a banner marked with the letter "B".

Article 76- Signals on fishing ships and boats and on fishing hecks:

•  Signals on fishing ships and boats:

Signals on fishing ships and boats must light a white lamp at the bow and a red lamp lower than the white lamp at the side with the net. The red lamp must be at least 2m above water. When it still retains its momentum, a fishing ship shall have to light a side lamp and a piloting lamp (for means Category A), or a half-green, half-red lamp (for a means Category B).

In daytime, the red lamp shall be replaced by a sign consisting of four white regular triangles 0.3m by each side, forming two pairs interlaced at the angles.

Ships and boats less than 20m long can replace the above signs with a sign consisting of two interlacing white circles 0.3m in diameter.

•  Signals of fishing hecks:

If the hecks are arranged in lateral rows along the lane and are less than 30m long, a red lamp must be lighted at the end of each heck. If they are more than 30m long, a red lamp shall be lighted every 30m. In daytime, each lamp is replaced by two black interlacing circles 0.3m in diameter. The lamps and sign must be hung at least 1.5m above water.

If the hecks are put up across the lane, they also have to put up lamps and signs and one additional white lamp must be added to either side of the lane, 1m higher than the red lamp. In daytime, each white lamp shall be replaced by a sign consisting of two interlacing black circles 0.3m in diameter.

Article 77- Signals from a means to alert other means that someone has fallen into water.

When a person falls into water, the means must light a green lamp between two red lamps on the same vertical line, 1m apart. The lower red lamp is placed 1m above the main deck. At the same time, the means must send out a sound signal consisting of three short sounds followed by three long sounds and again three short sounds. At night, the lamps and sound signals are used at the same time.

In daytime, the means shall put up a banner with the letter "O" on the lamp post and also send out the above sound signal.

Article 78- Signals to ask traffic police and inspectors onto the means:

To ask traffic police or inspector on inland waterways onto the means, apart from the lamps prescribed, the means must light and additional green lamp 1m above a red lamp. In daytime, it shall put up a green banner.

Article 79- Signals on a means where persons or animals have caught an infectious disease, and epidemic control is needed:

At night, a yellow lamp shall be put up on top of the lamp post.

In daytime, a banner with the letter "Q" shall be hoisted above a banner with the letter "Q".

Article 80- Signals on a means in distress a asking for help:

In daytime, a banner with the letter "N" above a banner with the letter "C" shall be put up, and one or the following sound signals shall be send out simultaneously:

A continuous peel of bell or gong;

A series of continuous short sirens.

At night, the above signals are sent out at the same time with continuous blinking of a red light.

Article 81- Signals enjoining other means to come for inspection:

When the competent traffic and order police wants to inspect a means, they shall use the following signals:

In daytime, they shall put up the banner with the letter"K" and send out a long siren followed by a short siren, they again a long siren;

At night, they shall send out the same signal and light a green lamp above a white lamp 0.6m apart.