Page 24 - Collision Avoidance Rules Guide

of opposing streams of traffic by appropriate means and by the estab-
lishment of traffic lanes.’ A traffic separation scheme is a routeing
measure, the particulars of which are laid down in the IMO publication
‘Ships’ Routeing’. This publication gives details of all Wc schemes
adopted by the Organization. Amendments are issued to enable the
publication to be kept up to date and information about new schemes,
or amendments to existing schemes, are also promulgated through
Notices to Mariners. It is important to keep nautical charts and pub-
lications up-dated with respect to any changes concerning traffic
separation schemes.

(e) This paragraph originally had particular application to naval
vessels but was also applied to other vessels of special construction
and purpose, when full compliance with the provisions of the
Rules for lights, shapes or sound-signalling appliances could not
be achieved without interfering with the special function of the
vessel.
When in 1986 the data expired for exemptions relating to provi-
sions mentioned in paragraphs (d)(ii), (e), (f) and (g) of Rule 38, a
number of governments were of the opinion that repositioning or
refitting of lights andor sound signal appliances as a consequence of
the above mentioned requirements would be too onerous for ships
flying their flags and not really necessary for the improvement of
safety at sea. After due consideration of this problem in IMO it was
decided to make the application of Rule l(e) more general by delet-
ing the phrase - ‘without interfering with the special function of the
vessel’ - in the text of this Rule.

Warships’ lights
The special arrangements of lights on some British warships are
described in The Mariner’s Handbook. Aircraft carriers have their
masthead lights placed off the centre line with reduced horizontal
separation. Their sidelights may be on either side of the hull or on
either side of the island structure. Many warships of over 50 metres
in length cannot be fitted with a second masthead light.
Submarines usually have two masthead lights but the forward
white light may be lower than the sidelights. Some submarines are
fitted with an amber flashing light 2 metres above the after masthead
light for use as an aid to identification in narrow waters and areas of
dense traffic. A similar light is used by hovercraft (see page 147).
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