TEC-010 - Bridge Navigation Watch Alarm System (BNWAS)

TO: ALL SHIPOWNERS, OPERATORS, MASTERS AND OFFICERS OF

MERCHANT SHIPS, AND AUTHORIZED CLASSIFICATION SOCIETIES SUBJECT: Bridge Navigation Watch Alarm System (BNWAS)

Reference: (a) SOLAS’74 as amended, Ch. V, Regulation 19.2.2 (_b) Resolution MSC.282(86) adopted on 05 June 2009

(_c) Resolution MSC.128(75) adopted on 20 May 2002 (_d) Resolution A.861(20) adopted on 27 November 1997

1. Resolution MSC.333(90) adopted on 22 May 2012
2. Circular MSC.1/Circ.1474 dated 23 May 2014
3. BNWAS Compliance Checklist
4. Resolution A.1021(26) adopted on 2 December 2009

Supersedes: Marine Notice TEC-010, dated 06/12 The following changes have been included:

1. The references in the References section and throughout this Marine Notice are updated.
2. New Sections 4.0, Renewal of Liberian Administration issued Exemption Certificates, 5.0 Use of Automatic Mode and 6.0, Interconnection with Voyage Data Recorder, are added

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this Notice is to inform vessel owners, operators and managers of the Liberian Administration’s policy concerning the requirements for Bridge Navigation Watch Alarm Systems (BNWAS).

APPLICABILITY:

This Notice is applicable to all self-propelled Liberian flagged cargo ships of 150 gross tons and greater and all self-propelled Liberian flagged passenger ships irrespective of size.

Inquiries concerning the subject of this Notice should be directed to the Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Republic of Liberia, the Liberian International Ship & Corporate Registry, 22980 Indian Creek Drive., Suite 200, Dulles, VA 20166, USA.

The most current version of all Marine Notices are available in the Online Library at: http://www.liscr.com

1.0 General

In June 2009, SOLAS’74 was amended by reference (b) to include new paragraphs .3 and .4 to the existing Chapter V Regulation 19.2.2, which entered into force on 01 January 2011.

The new Regulation 19.2.2.3 requires a bridge navigational watch alarm system (BNWAS) for all cargo ships 150 gross tons or greater and all passenger ships irrespective of size. The BNWAS is required by the regulation to be in operation whenever the ship is underway at sea. The BNWAS is to be fitted as follows:

.1 cargo ships of 150 gross tonnage and upwards and passenger ships irrespective of size constructed on or after 1 July 2011;

.2 passenger ships irrespective of size constructed before 1 July 2011, not later than the first survey after 1 July 2012;

.3 cargo ships of 3,000 gross tonnage and upwards constructed before 1 July 2011, not later than the first survey* after 1 July 2012;

.4 cargo ships of 500 gross tonnage and upwards but less than 3,000 gross tonnage constructed before 1 July 2011, not later than the first survey after 1 July 2013; and

.5 cargo ships of 150 gross tonnage and upwards but less than 500 gross tonnage constructed before 1 July 2011, not later than the first survey after 1 July 2014.

* As provided in MSC.1/Circ.1290, Unified Interpretation of the term “first survey” referred to SOLAS Regulations, unless indicated otherwise, when the term “first survey” is referenced by a regulation in the 1974 SOLAS Convention, as amended, it means the first annual survey, the first periodical survey or the first renewal survey, whichever is due first, after the date specified in the relevant regulation. It may also be any other survey, if the Administrator deems it to be reasonable and practicable, taking into account the extent of repairs and alterations being undertaken.

For a ship under construction where the keel is laid before, but the ship is delivered after, the date specified in the relevant regulation, the initial survey is the “first survey.”

2.0 BNWAS installed on or after 1 July 2011

A BNWAS installed on or after 1 July 2011 must be Type approved to meet the full requirements of reference (c).

3.0. Acceptance of BNWAS installed prior to 1 July 2011:

The new Regulation 19.2.2.4 provides for a BNWAS installed prior to 1 July 2011 to be exempted from full compliance with the BNWAS performance standards adopted in reference (c), at the discretion of the Administration. The Liberian Administration will accept BNWAS installed prior to 1 July 2011 that do not fully meet the standards specified in reference (c) subject to the procedures contained in Section 3.1 of this Marine Notice.

3.1 A BNWAS installed prior to 1 July 2011 should be evaluated by the Administration to determine the degree to which a system may be acceptable. Shipowners should complete and submit to the Administration at Regsandstandards@liscr.com reference (g) for BNWAS installed on a ship or a class of ships.

3.2 On receipt of the checklist, the Administration will determine the degree of compliance with the requirements of reference (c). If necessary the Administration may grant exemptions from certain requirements of reference (c) provided these exemptions do not in any way jeopardize the safety of the ship.

3.3 If the Administration determines that the BNWAS is acceptable, the Administration will issue an Exemption Certificate from the respective provisions of reference (a) and reference (c).

4.0 Renewal of Liberian Administration issued Exemption Certificates

Full term Exemption Certificates issued by the Administration are issued with expiry dates conforming with the vessel’s full term Safety Equipment Certificate. These Exemption Certificates must be renewed at the intervals coinciding with the vessels Class and Statutory

Renewal Surveys subject to the procedures contained in Section 4.1 of this Marine Notice

4.1 At the renewal survey the attending Class Society surveyor is authorized to issue an interim Exemption Certificate valid for five (5) months pending the Administration issuance of the full term Exemption Certificate.

4.2 An email request should be submitted to the Administration at Regsandstandards@liscr.com detailing the subject vessel and including copies of the expiring Exemption Certificate, the Interim Exemption Certificate, the expiring Safety Equipment Certificate and the Interim Safety Equipment Certificate.

4.3 Upon receipt of the documents listed in section 4.2 of this Marine Notice the Administration will issue the full term exemption certificate,

5.0 Use of Automatic Mode

SOLAS regulation V/19.2.2.3 requires the provision of a BNWAS which shall be in operation whenever the ship is under way at sea, while SOLAS regulation V/18 requires the BNWAS to conform to appropriate performance standards not inferior to those in reference (c) which requires an automatic mode in which the BNWAS automatically turns “ON” whenever the ships autopilot is activated and turns “OFF” when the autopilot is de-activated. From the operational point of view, the use of the autopilot is an imperfect method of this and creates an inconsistency between SOLAS regulation V/19.2.2.3 and the "Automatic mode" provisions in the performance standard.

5.1 Accordingly, as an interim measure reference (f) was released on 23 May 2014 in that pending a revision of reference (c), the automatic operational mode, if it is available, should not be used. In the interim Masters and DPAs should develop procedures as suggested in Section 5.2 of this Marine Notice for incorporation into the vessel’s Safety Management System to ensure that the vessel is in compliance with SOLAS regulation V/19.2.2.3 without the use of the automatic operational mode.

5.2 It is suggested that these procedures include at least the following:

1. The Master is to ensure that the BNWAS is in the “ON” position upon outgoing departure from the pilot station.
2. Each Navigation Watch Officer (NWO) is to ensure that the BNWAS is in the “ON” position upon assuming the watch.
3. A log entry is to be made for both the Master and NWO.

6.0 Interconnection with Voyage Data Recorder

1. Reference (e) revised performance standards for VDR applies to BNWAS installations on or after 1 July 2014. Paragraph 5.5.10 of reference (e) which requires mandatory alarms to be recorded in VDR refers to table 10.1.1 in reference (h) and applies to ships whose keels are laid on or after 18 January 2010. Table 10.1.1 classify the BNWAS first-stage audible alarm and the malfunction of, or power supply failure to the BNWAS as mandatory alarms and as such should be interfaced with the VDR. Taking into account difficulties in modification, maintenance problems and risk of malfunction, the Administration will accept the BNWAS audio alarms to be recorded through the VDR external microphones.

7.0 Self-Propelled MODUs

The Administrator will, on a case-by-case basis, consider requests for self-propelled MODUs to be exempted from the requirements of SOLAS Chapter V, Regulation 19.2.2.3 and 19.2.2.4 regarding installation of a BNWAS.

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