8. In any situation described in section 7, the person in charge of the deck watch shall ensure that the services of a qualified helmsman are available at all times to take over steering control.

9. The change-over from automatic to manual steering of a ship and vice versa shall be made by or under the supervision of a person qualified to be in charge of a deck watch.

10. The manual steering of a ship shall be tested

• (a) at least once a day after continuous use of the automatic pilot; and

• (b) before the ship enters any area where navigation demands special caution.

11. Where a ship is equipped with two or more steering gear power units that are capable of simultaneous operation, the ship shall have at least two of those units in operation in areas where navigation demands special caution.

12. Subject to section 13, within 12 hours before the departure of a ship, the steering gear of that ship shall be checked and tested and such checks and tests shall include

• (a) the operation of

  • (i) the main steering gear,

  • (ii) the auxiliary steering gear, except where such gear includes tackle,

  • (iii) the remote steering gear control systems,

  • (iv) the steering controls located at different positions on the navigating bridge,

  • (v) the emergency power supply,

  • (vi) the rudder angle indicators in relation to the actual position of the rudder,

  • (vii) the remote steering gear control system power failure alarms,

  • (viii) the steering gear power unit failure alarms, and

  • (ix) automatic isolating arrangements and other automatic equipment required for the steering gears;

• (b) the full movement of the rudder according to the required capabilities of the steering gear;

• (c) a visual inspection of the steering gear and its connecting linkage; and

• (d) the operation of the means of communication between the navigating bridge and steering gear compartment.

13. For a ship that regularly plies on voyages of less than one week, the checks and tests referred to in section 12 shall be carried out at least once every week.

14. All ship’s officers concerned with the operation and maintenance of the steering gear shall be familiar with the operation of the steering systems fitted on the ship and with the procedures for changing from one system to another.

15. In addition to the checks and tests referred to in section 12, emergency steering drills that do not include the use of tackle shall be carried out at least once every three months in order to practise emergency steering procedures and shall include direct control from within the steering gear compartment, the communications procedure with the navigating bridge and, where applicable, the operation of alternative power supplies.