Navigation Safety Regulations, 2020 (SOR/2020-216)

Marginal note:Vessels of 3 000 gross tonnage or more

112 Every vessel of 3 000 gross tonnage or more must be fitted with the following equipment:

• (a) in addition to and functionally independent of the radar referred to in paragraph 110(b), a 3-GHz or 9-GHz radar that can be used to determine and display the range and bearing of other surface craft, obstructions, buoys, shorelines and navigational marks; and

• (b) if the vessel is less than 10 000 gross tonnage, in addition to and functionally independent of the automatic tracking aid or automatic radar plotting aid referred to in paragraph 111(b), an automatic tracking aid to automatically plot the range and bearing of targets in order to determine collision risk, or an automatic radar plotting aid to automatically plot the range and bearing of at least 20 targets that is connected to a device to indicate speed and distance travelled through the water.

Marginal note:Vessels of 10 000 gross tonnage or more

113 Every vessel of 10 000 gross tonnage or more must be fitted with the following equipment:

• (a) in addition to and functionally independent of the aids required under paragraph 111(b), an automatic radar plotting aid to automatically plot the range and bearing of at least 20 targets that is connected to a device to indicate speed and distance travelled through the water; and

• (b) if the vessel is engaged on a voyage other than a sheltered waters voyage, a heading or track control system to automatically control, and keep to, a heading or straight track.

Marginal note:Vessels of 50 000 gross tonnage or more

114 Every vessel of 50 000 gross tonnage or more must be fitted with the following equipment:

• (a) a rate-of-turn indicator to determine and display the rate of turn; and

• (b) in addition to the device required by paragraph 110(c), a speed-and-distance measuring device to indicate the speed and distance over the ground in the forward and athwartships direction.

DIVISION 4Additional Equipment

Marginal note:Voyage data recorder — vessel constructed after 2011

• 115 (1) A Canadian vessel that is not engaged on an international voyage must be fitted with a voyage data recorder (VDR) if the vessel was constructed on or after January 1, 2012 and is

  • (a) a passenger vessel of 500 gross tonnage or more; or

  • (b) a vessel of 3 000 gross tonnage or more that does not engage solely on voyages in the waters of the Great Lakes, their connecting and tributary waters and the waters of the St. Lawrence River as far seaward as a straight line drawn

    • (i) from Cap-des-Rosiers to Pointe Ouest, Anticosti Island, and

    • (ii) from Anticosti Island to the north shore of the St. Lawrence River along a meridian of longitude 63° W.

• Marginal note:Voyage data recorder — vessel constructed before 2012

  (2) A Canadian vessel that is not engaged on an international voyage must be fitted with a VDR or a simplified voyage data recorder (S-VDR) if the vessel was constructed before January 1, 2012 and is a passenger vessel of 500 gross tonnage or more.

• Marginal note:Exceptions

  (3) Subsections (1) and (2) do not apply in respect of

  • (a) pleasure craft;

  • (b) fishing vessels; and

  • (c) passenger vessels, other than ferries, that are engaged solely on sheltered waters voyages and operate during fewer than six months in a year.

Marginal note:Voyage data recorder — performance tests

• 116 (1) On installation of a voyage data recorder (VDR) or a simplified voyage data recorder (S-VDR) on a vessel, and each subsequent year after the date of installation, a performance test must be carried out in accordance with paragraph 2 and the Appendix to the Annex to IMO circular MSC.1/Circ.1222, Guidelines on Annual Testing of Voyage Data Recorders (VDR) and Simplified Voyage Data Recorders (S-VDR) by the manufacturer or a person authorized by the manufacturer.

• Marginal note:Subsection 13(1) of Vessel Safety Certificates Regulations

  (2) In the case of a vessel that is required under section 115 to be fitted with a VDR, the annual performance test referred to in subsection (1) may be carried out at the same time as an inspection for the purpose of issuing a certificate under subsection 13(1) of the Vessel Safety Certificates Regulations if the period between tests does not exceed

  • (a) 15 months, in the case of a passenger vessel; and

  • (b) 18 months, in the case of any other vessel.

• Marginal note:Performance test certificate

  (3) A copy of the most recent annual performance test certificate delivered by the person who completed the performance test must be kept on board the vessel.

• Marginal note:Language of certificates

  (4) If an annual performance test certificate is written in a language other than English or French, it must be accompanied by an English or French translation.

Marginal note:ECDIS

117 The following Canadian vessels, except cable ferries and pleasure crafts, that are constructed on or after the day on which this section comes into force must be fitted with an ECDIS:

• (a) passenger vessels of 500 gross tonnage or more; and

• (b) all other vessels of 3 000 gross tonnage or more.

Marginal note:AIS Class A

• 118 (1) The following vessels must be fitted with an AIS Class A:

  • (a) vessels that are 20 m or more in length, other than pleasure crafts;

  • (b) vessels that carry more than 50 passengers;

  • (c) vessels transporting substances, materials or articles to which the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code, published by the IMO, applies;

  • (d) vessels carrying pollutants, as defined in section 165 of the Act, in bulk;

  • (e) dredges or floating plants that are located in any place where they constitute a collision hazard to other vessels; and

  • (f) towboats that are 8 m or more in length.

• Marginal note:AIS Class A or B

  (2) Every vessel, other than a vessel referred to in subsection (1), that is engaged on a voyage other than a sheltered waters voyage must be fitted with an AIS Class A or an AIS Class B if

  • (a) it is a passenger vessel; or

  • (b) the vessel is 8 m or more in length and carries a passenger.

• Marginal note:Graphic display

  (3) Every vessel referred to in subsection (1) must be fitted with a means of displaying graphically the relative ranges and bearings received by the AIS.

• Marginal note:Transmitting heading device or gyro-compass

  (4) If an AIS Class A is fitted on a vessel and if the vessel is also fitted with a transmitting heading device or with a gyro-compass, they must be connected for transmitting heading information to the AIS.

• Marginal note:Period of operation

  (5) Every vessel referred to in subsections (1) and (2) must keep the AIS in operation for at least 30 minutes immediately before departure and for the entire duration of the voyage.

• Marginal note:Exceptions — period of operation

  (6) Subsection (5) does not apply

  • (a) where international agreements, rules or standards provide for the protection of navigational information; or

  • (b) in respect of vessels, other than vessels operated for a commercial purpose, owned or operated by Her Majesty in right of Canada or by a foreign government that is a party to SOLAS.

Marginal note:Pilot transfer

119 Every vessel that is engaged on a voyage that will likely require the services of a licensed pilot must meet the requirements respecting pilot transfer equipment and arrangements set out in Section B, entitled Pilotage Services in Canadian Waters, of the annual edition of Notices to Mariners.

Marginal note:Internal communication system

• 120 (1) Every Canadian vessel of 300 gross tonnage or more must be fitted with a two-way voice communication system.

• Marginal note:System usage requirements

  (2) The system must be capable of being used between any two of the following locations, in a normal ambient noise condition for each location:

  • (a) at the principal conning position;

  • (b) at working stations, including the mooring positions;

  • (c) at a position close to the main engine controls in the engine room;

  • (d) at the emergency steering position; and

  • (e) in the master’s accommodation and the chief engineer’s accommodation.

• Marginal note:Independent energy source

  (3) The system must be capable of operating independently of the vessel’s main source of electrical energy for at least 12 hours.

Marginal note:Searchlights

• 121 (1) The following vessels must be fitted with two searchlights:

  • (a) vessels that are designed and constructed to engage in towing operations, of more than 5 gross tonnage, except vessels that engage in towing operations only to salvage logs;

  • (b) fishing vessels of more than 150 gross tonnage that are more than 24 m in length and constructed on or after September 1, 1984; and

  • (c) Canadian vessels of more than 150 gross tonnage that are navigating in ice that might cause substantial damage to the vessel.

• Marginal note:Fishing vessels constructed before September 1, 1984

  (2) Fishing vessels of more than 150 gross tonnage that are more than 24 m in length and constructed before September 1, 1984 must be fitted with at least one searchlight.

• Marginal note:Scope of lighting

  (3) The searchlights required under subsection (1) must be mounted securely and in a manner that will allow their beams, when combined, to sweep an arc of 360° around the vessel.

• Marginal note:Exclusive electrical circuit

  (4) Each searchlight required under subsection (1) or (2) must be provided with an exclusive electrical circuit connected to the main or emergency switchboard.

• Marginal note:Spare parts

  (5) A vessel must carry on board, for each searchlight required under subsection (1) or (2), two spare bulbs and any spare electrical equipment that might be required under normal service conditions except if

  • (a) the searchlight is a light emitting diode (LED) searchlight; or

  • (b) the vessel has two identical searchlights and carries on board two spare bulbs and any spare electrical equipment for one of those searchlights instead of for each searchlight.

Marginal note:Signal flags

122 Every Canadian vessel of more than 150 gross tonnage that is engaged on a near coastal voyage, Class 1 or an unlimited voyage must carry on board the set of signal flags illustrated in Appendix 2 of the International Code of Signals, published by the IMO, of a size suitable for signalling.

Marginal note:Hand lead lines

• 123 (1) Every vessel that is 20 m or more in length and engaged on a voyage other than a sheltered waters voyage must be equipped with one hand lead line.

• Marginal note:Requirements

  (2) The hand lead line must

  • (a) be 46 m or more in length;

  • (b) be clearly and accurately marked to indicate the depth of water; and

  • (c) have a lead that weighs at least 3.2 kg and is capable of being armed.

Marginal note:Manoeuvring information — IMO resolution A.601(15)

• 124 (1) A vessel must establish and display manoeuvring information in accordance with sections 1.2 and 3 of the Annex and the appendices to the Annex to IMO resolution A.601(15), Provision and Display of Manoeuvring Information on Board Ships before the vessel enters into service and must keep that information on board, if

  • (a) it is of 1 600 gross tonnage or more and was constructed on or after March 1, 2001;

  • (b) it is a chemical carrier or gas carrier that was constructed on or after March 1, 2001; or

  • (c) it is a Safety Convention vessel.

• Marginal note:Definitions

  (2) The following definitions apply in paragraph (1)(b).

  chemical carrier

  chemical carrier means a vessel that is constructed or adapted for the carriage of dangerous chemicals and that is is engaged in the carriage of those chemicals. (transporteur de produits chimiques)

  gas carrier

  gas carrier means a cargo vessel that was constructed or adapted for the carriage in bulk of any liquefied gas or other products listed in Chapter 19 of the International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Liquefied Gases in Bulk, published by the IMO, and that is engaged in the carriage of those products. (transporteur de gaz)

• Marginal note:Modification or conversion of vessel

  (3) If a vessel is modified or converted such that its dimensions or other characteristics are altered in a way affecting the manoeuvring capability of the vessel, the manoeuvring information referred to in subsection (1) must be updated.

• Marginal note:Exception

  (4) If it is not practicable to establish the manoeuvring information required by subsection (1) in its final form before the vessel enters into service, the information must be

  • (a) established in a preliminary form before the vessel enters into service;

  • (b) established in its final form as soon as circumstances permit after the vessel enters into service; and

  • (c) verified in its final form within 18 months after the vessel enters into service.

• Marginal note:Manoeuvring information — IMO resolution A.209(VII)

  (5) Every vessel of 1 600 gross tonnage or more that was constructed before March 1, 2001, other than a Safety Convention vessel, must establish and display manoeuvring information as set out in the Annex to IMO resolution A.209(VII), Recommendation on Information to Be Included in the Manoeuvring Booklets and must keep the manoeuvring information on board.