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Amendments to
the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at
Sea, 1972, have entered into force beginning 29 November 2003.
The International Maritime Organisation announced that the amendments to
existing Rules include new provisions relating to Wing-In Ground (WIG)
craft.
The amendments cover Rule 3 (General definitions) - to provide the
definition of WIG craft and Rule 8 (a) (Action to avoid collision) - to make
it clear that any action to avoid collision shall be taken in accordance
with the relevant rules in Part B of the COLREGs 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.
Rule 18 (Responsibilities between vessels) has also been amended to include
a requirement that a WIG craft shall, when taking off, landing and in flight
near the surface, keep clear of all other vessels and avoid impeding their
navigation and also that a WIG craft operating on the water surface shall
comply with the Rules in Part B as a power-driven vessel.
Other amendments include a new requirement that WIG craft only when taking
off, landing and in-flight near the surface shall, in addition to the lights
prescribed in paragraph 23 (a) of the Rule, exhibit a high-intensity
all-round flashing red light;
WIG craft - which are not covered by the 1994 or 2000 International Code of
Safety for High-Speed Craft - are supported in their main operational mode
solely by aerodynamic forces which enable them to operate at low altitude
above the sea surface but without direct contact with the sea.
Accordingly, their arrangement, engineering characteristics, design,
construction and operation have a high degree of commonality with those of
aircraft.
However, WIG craft operate with other waterborne crafts and must utilize the
same collision avoidance rules as conventional shipping. The amendments to
the Collision Regulations take into account the operational peculiarities of
WIG craft.
IMO and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) have agreed
that any WIG craft capable of sustained flight outside the influence of
ground effect should also be subject to the rules and regulations of ICAO.
Other craft, including those with limited "fly-over" capability, should be
covered only by the maritime regulatory regime. |
