Relevant publications and M-Notices: IMO MSC Circ 2 (2006), SOLAS, The MS (Carriage of Publications) Regulations 1998, MGN 610, The Merchant Shipping (Safety of Navigation) Regulations 2020
A common question, often in the context of the Appraisal phase of passage planning, is:
‘What publications is your vessel obliged to carry?’
The list of publications that the ship does carry is, as anyone who has had to correct them knows, a long one. If we get into the realms of oil record books, garbage placards etc. we could end up talking to the examiner for quite some time, but probably not giving them the answer that they are looking for. In this article we will run through the requirements for carriage, including those publications which need to be in hard copy. Note that this article does not cover publications that must be carried by vessels engaged in specific trades (i.e. IMDG code, IBC code). Nor does this article cover the various technical files, construction files, stability booklets, fire control plans etc. required under SOLAS; these are documents, not publications.
Charts and publications
SOLAS V Regulation 2.2 defines nautical charts and publications:
Nautical chart or nautical publication is a special-purpose map or book, or a specially compiled database from which such a map or book is derived, that is issued officially by or on the authority of a Government, authorized Hydrographic Office or other relevant government institution and is designed to meet the requirements of marine navigation.
SOLAS V Regulation 19 2.1.4 requires that we have onboard:
nautical charts and nautical publications to plan and display the ship's route for the intended voyage and to plot and monitor positions throughout the voyage. An electronic chart display and information system (ECDIS) is also accepted as meeting the chart carriage requirements of this subparagraph.
SOLAS V regulation 27 requires:
Nautical charts and nautical publications, such as sailing directions, lists of lights, notices to mariners, tide tables and all other nautical publications necessary for the intended voyage, shall be adequate and up to date.
These regulations cover charts, Admiralty Lists of Lights, Admiralty Tide Tables, Admiralty Sailing Directions, Admiralty Lists of Radio Signals etc. None of these publications need be in hard copy; providing you are set up and approved for paperless navigation using an ECDIS, all of these publications ca be digital.
This requirement to carry nautical charts and publications is made into law by The Merchant Shipping (Carriage of Nautical Publications) Regulations 1998:
4.—(1) All ships shall carry–
(a) such charts complying with regulation 5; and
(b) such adequate and up to date sailing directions, lists of lights, notices to mariners, tide tables and other nautical publications,
as are necessary for the intended voyage.
This makes sense; there’s no point requiring a ship to carry charts and publications that are not necessary for their intended sphere of operations. Regulation 5 (mentioned in the above quote) requires that charts:
(a)be of such a scale and 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 ships' routeing and ship reporting measures applicable to those waters,
(b)either be published by the Hydrographer of the Navy or, if not so published, be of a similar scale to those so published and contain equivalent detail; and
(c)in all cases, be of the latest obtainable edition and, be–
(i)in the case of charts published by the Hydrographer of the Navy, corrected and kept up to date from the latest relevant obtainable Notices to Mariners and Radio Navigational Warnings
Again, this makes senses; there’s no point a vessel operating in the north sea carrying only one chart that covers the whole region but which doesn’t show enough detail to be used for navigation. In bullet points, charts must be:
Of a suitable scale
The latest obtainable edition
Corrected to the latest NTMs and radio navigational warnings
Sufficient for the intended voyage
And publications must:
Be the latest obtainable edition
Incorporate the latest relevant supplements and corrections
Charts and publications is a great way to start your answer to this particular ‘whicb publications…’ question; it shows that you’re thinking practically. It you can answer with the details above, and include where the requirements come, so much so the better.
International Code of Signals and IAMSAR Volume III
SOLAS V Regulation 21:
1 All ships which, in accordance with the present Convention, are required to carry a radio installation shall carry the International Code of Signals as may be amended by the Organization. The Code shall also be carried by any other ship which, in the opinion of the Administration, has a need to use it.
2 All ships shall carry an up-to-date copy of Volume III of the International Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue (IAMSAR) Manual.
The Merchant Shipping (Carriage of Nautical Publications) Regulations 1998 Regulation 4(2) requires that all sea-going passenger ships and all ships over 300GT carry a copy of the International Code of Signals (published by the IMO).
This is one of two required publications that must be in hard copy. While this isn’t stated in SOLAS or in the carriage regulations cited above, it is stated in IMO MSC-MEPC.2/Circ.2 1 June 2006, annex part 4:
Notwithstanding paragraph 4 above, the publications for emergency use, such as the International Code of Signals and the IAMSAR Manual should always be available in the form of hard copies, bearing in mind that such publications need to be readily available for use in case of emergency without being restricted to a specific place and by the availability of a computer.
Which brings us to:
IAMSAR Volume III
This is required by SOLAS V Regulation 21, cited above. This is made into UK law under the The Merchant Shipping (Safety of Navigation) Regulations 2020 (with guidance on this available in MGN 610).
The requirement to carry Volume III of the IAMSAR manual does not apply to:
• ships below 150GT engaged on any voyage
• ships below 500GT not engaged on international voyages
• fishing vessels
This is the second of the two required publications which must be in hard copy.
International Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue Manual Volume III is intended for mobile facilities: ships and planes. It is intended to help with performance of search and rescue and on-scene coordination. It contains information on search patterns, reporting, responsibilities, communication and equipment as well as flow diagrams and checklists. for emergency situations.
The Mariners Handbook (NP100)
The Merchant Shipping (Carriage of Nautical Publications) Regulations 1998 has a schedule, divided into parts A and B. Those publications listed in part A must be carried by all sea-going ships, those listed in part B need only be carried in their parts which apply to the vessels intended journey.
Part A list only two publications: The International Code of Signals (covered above) and the Mariners Handbook, published by the UKHO.
The Mariners Handbook is billed as ‘The comprehensive guide to seamanship and key aspects of navigation’. It covers navigation, sea and ice conditions, meteorology and regulations and is well-written and laid out; it really is an excellent resource.
Publications required by the SMS
Any publication given by the SMS as being required onboard the vessel is then required under the ISM code.
MCAQs
What publications does your ship legally have to have onboard?
Which of these can be digital publications?
Which of these must be hard copies? (Remember, these are the ones that you will want to have when everything else has stopped working).
Is it acceptable to cross the North Sea from Aberdeen to Oslo with only one, small-scale chart?
Bonus: Would you expect a French vessel, operating in British waters, to carry the Mariners Handbook?