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

Marginal note:Planning a voyage

• 144 (1) The master of a vessel must, before the vessel embarks on a voyage, plan the voyage taking into account the Annex to IMO resolution A.893(21), Guidelines for Voyage Planning, and if charts, documents and publications are required to be kept on board under section 142, by using those charts, documents and publications to the extent that they relate to voyage planning.

• Marginal note:Identifying a route

  (2) When planning the voyage, the master must identify a route taking the following factors into account:

  • (a) any relevant routing systems;

  • (b) sufficient sea room for the safe passage of the vessel throughout the intended voyage;

  • (c) all known navigational hazards and adverse weather conditions;

  • (d) any marine environmental protection measures that apply; and

  • (e) actions and activities that could cause damage to the environment and measures to be taken to avoid those actions and activities.

• Marginal note:Voyage display and position monitoring

  (3) The master of a vessel must display the vessel’s route for the voyage using a chart referred to in paragraph 142(1)(a) and plot and monitor the vessel’s position throughout the voyage on that chart.

Marginal note:Navigation accessories

145 Any vessel that is required under section 142 to keep charts, documents and publications on board must be fitted with

• (a) the navigation accessories necessary to permit the proper use of the charts so as to precisely determine the position of the vessel;

• (b) the navigation accessories necessary to determine the accuracy of compass readings; and

• (c) binoculars.

Marginal note:Up-to-date charts, documents and publications

• 146 (1) The master of a vessel must ensure that the charts, documents and publications required under this Division, before being used to plan and execute a voyage, are correct and up-to-date, based on information that is contained in Notices to Mariners or a navigational warning.

• Marginal note:Exception

  (2) Subsection (1) does not apply if the circumstances of the voyage are such that it is impossible for the master, after making reasonable efforts, to receive Notices to Mariners or navigational warnings.

[147 to 199 reserved]

PART 2Marine Radiocommunications

Definitions

Marginal note:Definitions

200 The following definitions apply in this Part.

appropriate VHF channel

appropriate VHF channel means the channel specified in Notices to Mariners or in any law of Canada or of any foreign state for use in a traffic zone, or part of it, for vessel traffic management purposes. (voie VHF appropriée)

continuous watch

continuous watch means a radio watch that is uninterrupted except for brief intervals when the receiving capability of the radio installations are impaired or blocked by the installations’ own communications or by periodic maintenance or checks. (veille permanente)

DSC

DSC means digital selective calling, which is a system that uses digital codes and conforms to Recommendation ITU-R M.493, Digital Selective-calling System for use in the Maritime Mobile Service, published by the International Telecommunication Union, Radiocommunication Sector. (ASN)

enhanced group call equipment

enhanced group call equipment means a radio installation capable of receiving maritime safety information and search and rescue information broadcast by an enhanced group call system. (équipement d’appel de groupe amélioré)

enhanced group call system

enhanced group call system means a system that allows for the broadcast of coordinated maritime safety information and search and rescue information to a defined geographical area using a mobile satellite service recognized by the IMO. (système d’appel de groupe amélioré)

EPIRB

EPIRB means an emergency position indicating radio beacon operating in the 406 MHz band. (RLS)

international NAVTEX service

international NAVTEX service means the coordinated broadcast of maritime safety information in English on the radio frequency of 518 kHz that is automatically received on any vessel through NBDP. (service NAVTEX international)

maritime safety information

maritime safety information means navigational and meteorological warnings, meteorological forecasts and other urgent safety-related messages broadcast to vessels. (renseignements sur la sécurité maritime)

MF/HF radio installation

MF/HF radio installation means a radio installation capable of transmitting and receiving voice communications and communications using NBDP and DSC in the MF/HF bands. (installation radio MF/HF)

MF radio installation

MF radio installation means a radio installation capable of transmitting and receiving voice communications and communications using DSC in the MF bands. (installation radio MF)

NAVTEX receiver

NAVTEX receiver means a receiver that is capable of receiving an international NAVTEX service message. (récepteur NAVTEX)

NBDP

NBDP means the process of message transmission known as narrow-band direct-printing telegraphy that uses the International Telegraph Alphabet Number 2 Code in such a way that receiving equipment automatically produces a printed version of the transmitted message. (IDBE)

PLB

PLB means a personal locator beacon operating in the 406 MHz band. (BLP)

radio operator

radio operator means a person who is the holder of a radio operator certificate issued under subparagraph 5(1)(a)(iii) of the Radiocommunication Act or an equivalent certificate issued by the appropriate authority of a foreign state and who is in charge of a radio watch on a vessel. (opérateur radio)

SART

SART means a transponder designed for search and rescue purposes that operates on a radar frequency or an AIS frequency. (répondeur SAR)

sea area A1

sea area A1 means an area within the radiotelephone coverage of at least one VHF coast station in which continuous DSC alerting is available. (zone océanique A1)

sea area A2

sea area A2 means an area, excluding sea area A1, within the radiotelephone coverage of at least one medium frequency (MF) coast station in which continuous DSC alerting is available. (zone océanique A2)

sea area A3

sea area A3 means an area, excluding sea area A1 and sea area A2, within the coverage of a mobile-satellite service that is recognized by the IMO and supported by the ship earth station carried on board in which continuous alerting is available. (zone océanique A3)

sea area A4

sea area A4 means an area outside of sea area A1, sea area A2 and sea area A3. (zone océanique A4)

ship earth station

ship earth station means a mobile earth station that is located on board a vessel and part of a mobile-satellite service that has been recognized by the IMO. (station terrienne de navire)

survival craft

survival craft[Repealed, SOR/2023-257, s. 533]

traffic centre

traffic centre means a centre established by a government for the purpose of regulating marine traffic within a traffic zone. (centre de gestion du trafic)

traffic zone

traffic zone means an area under the responsibility of a traffic centre described in Notices to Mariners or in any law of Canada or of a foreign state and established for the purpose of directing vessel traffic. (zone de gestion du trafic)

VHF radio installation

VHF radio installation means a radio installation capable of transmitting and receiving voice communications on VHF frequencies. (installation radio VHF)

DIVISION 1General Requirements

Marginal note:Application

• 201 (1) This Division applies in respect of Canadian vessels everywhere

• Marginal note:Application — sections 203 to 207

  (2) Sections 203 to 207 also apply in respect of foreign vessels in Canadian waters.

• Marginal note:Non-application

  (3) This Division does not apply in respect of

  • (a) a dredge or a floating plant unless it is located in a place where it constitutes a collision hazard to other vessels;

  • (b) a towboat, if the towboat and its tow are located within a booming ground; or

  • (c) a pleasure craft.

Marginal note:Towboats

202 A towboat that is not a Safety Convention vessel and that is engaged in a towing operation outside the sea area in which it normally operates is not required to meet any additional radio equipment requirements for outside that sea area if

• (a) one of the vessels engaged in the towing operation with the towboat meets the requirements for that sea area; or

• (b) it is engaged in a towing operation in an emergency situation on an exceptional basis.

Marginal note:Responsibility of authorized representative

203 The authorized representative must ensure that the vessel is equipped with radio equipment in accordance with this Part before the vessel embarks on a voyage and throughout the voyage.

Marginal note:VHF radio installation

• 204 (1) A vessel on a voyage, any part of which is in sea area A1, within VHF coverage of a Canadian Coast Guard station or on a voyage more than five nautical miles from shore on the sea coasts of Canada, must be fitted with a VHF radio installation capable of DSC if the vessel is

  • (a) more than 8 m in length;

  • (b) carrying passengers; or

  • (c) a towboat.

• Marginal note:Exception

  (2) Subsection (1) does not apply to a vessel that carries six passengers or less and is not more than 8 m in length if it is equipped with a portable VHF handheld radio capable of DSC.

Marginal note:Great Lakes — supplementary VHF radio for certain vessels

• 205 (1) The following vessels, if engaged on a voyage in the Great Lakes Basin, must be fitted with a VHF radio installation that is in addition to the one required under section 204:

  • (a) a vessel of 300 gross tonnage or more; and

  • (b) a passenger vessel that is 20 m or more in length and engaged on a voyage other than a sheltered waters voyage.

• Marginal note:Supplementary VHF radio for other vessels

  (2) The following vessels, other than a vessel referred to in subsection (1), if engaged on a voyage in the Great Lakes Basin, must be fitted with a VHF radio installation or a portable VHF handheld radio in addition to the radio equipment required under section 204:

  • (a) a vessel that carries more than six passengers; or

  • (b) a towboat whose tow, excluding the tow line, is 20 m or more in length.

• Marginal note:Technical Regulations of the Great Lakes Agreement

  (3) All VHF radio installations and portable VHF handheld radios required under this section must meet the requirements set out in Regulations 1 and 2 of the Technical Regulations annexed to the Agreement between Canada and the United States of America for Promotion of Safety on the Great Lakes by Means of Radio, 1973.

Marginal note:Navigation outside sea area A1

206 A vessel that is engaged on a voyage any part of which is outside sea area A1 must be equipped with radio equipment capable of establishing two-way communications at any time with a Canadian Coast Guard Marine Communications and Traffic Services Centre or, if that is not possible, with another organization or person on shore that is providing communications with the vessel, if it is a vessel that

• (a) carries passengers more than two nautical miles from shore;

• (b) carries more than six passengers; or

• (c) is engaged on a near coastal voyage, Class 1 or an unlimited voyage.

Marginal note:Part C of Chapter IV of SOLAS

• 207 (1) The following vessels must be fitted with radio equipment in accordance with Part C of Chapter IV of SOLAS:

  • (a) vessels that are subject to Chapter IV of SOLAS; and

  • (b) Canadian vessels that are not subject to Chapter IV of SOLAS that are engaged on a voyage outside the internal waters of Canada and sea area A1, if they are passenger vessels that are 20 m or more in length or of 300 gross tonnage or more.

• Marginal note:Gulf of St. Lawrence

  (2) For the purposes of this section, sea area A1 includes all of the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

• Marginal note:Regulation 14 of Chapter IV SOLAS — type approval

  (3) For the purposes of this section, the words “type approved by the Administration” used in Regulation 14 of Chapter IV of SOLAS must be read as “type approved by a competent authority” when that Regulation applies to a Canadian vessel.

• Marginal note:Regulation 15 of Chapter IV SOLAS — interpretation

  (4) For the purposes of this section,

  • (a) Regulation 15 of Chapter IV of SOLAS must be read as excluding the words “such methods as” and “as may be approved by the administration”; and

  • (b) the words “a combination of at least two methods such as duplication of equipment, shore-based maintenance or at-sea electronic maintenance capability” used in Regulation 15 of Chapter IV of SOLAS must be read as “a combination of at least two methods from among duplication of equipment, shore-based maintenance or at-sea electronic maintenance capability”.

• Marginal note:Regulation 15 of Chapter IV SOLAS – exception

  (5) Despite paragraph (1)(b), the requirement set out in Regulation 15 of Chapter IV of SOLAS that refers to sea areas A3 and A4 does not apply to a vessel referred to in that paragraph that is engaged on a voyage in either of those sea areas, if the vessel meets the requirement set out in Regulation 15 of Chapter IV that refers to sea areas A1 and A2.

Marginal note:SART

208 One of the SARTs required to be on board a vessel under the Vessel Construction and Equipment Regulations, the Life Saving Equipment Regulations or the Large Fishing Vessel Inspection Regulations must be stowed so that it is readily accessible for immediate use on board.