IMO WORK PROGRAMME. Sub-Committee on Safety of Navigation

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1 INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANIZATION E IMO MARITIME SAFETY COMMITTEE 81st session Agenda item 23 MSC 81/23/14 20 December 2005 Original: ENGLISH WORK PROGRAMME Sub-Committee on Safety of Navigation Proposal for developing new provisions and performance standards on wind measuring equipment Submitted by the Republic of Korea Executive summary: Action to be taken: Paragraph 19 Related documents: Introduction SUMMARY This document contains a proposal for the addition of a new item to the work programme of the Sub-Committee on Safety of Navigation, requesting the development of new provisions for the carriage of wind measuring equipment and its performance standards SOLAS regulations V/5 and 32, VI/6, Rule 6 of COLREG 1972 and IAMSAR Manual Volume III 1 Wind measuring equipment has been installed on board almost all ships engaged on international voyages and widely used as an essential equipment for the safety of navigation on board such ships for a long time. 2 SOLAS regulation V/5.1 states that Administrations shall encourage the use of meteorological instruments of a high degree of accuracy, and shall facilitate the checking of such instruments upon request. 3 In addition, there are many provisions making reference to wind speed and/or direction in the existing international regulations as follows: SOLAS regulation V/5.2.9: The Contracting Government to encourage masters to inform ships in the vicinity and also shore stations whenever they experience a wind speed of 50 knots or more (force 10 on the Beaufort scale); SOLAS regulation V/32.2.3: Information required in danger messages regarding tropical cyclones should include: true wind direction wind force (Beaufort scale); For reasons of economy, this document is printed in a limited number. Delegates are kindly asked to bring their copies to meetings and not to request additional copies.

2 MSC 81/23/ COLREG Rule 6: In determining a safe ship speed, the state of wind, sea and current, and the proximity of navigational hazards shall be taken into account. IAMSAR Manual, Volume III, Section 2: When communicating between ship and helicopter for winching operations, the present relative wind direction and speed across the deck should be informed to the helicopter. Other IMO resolutions, circulars, etc. where wind speed/direction is mentioned or referred: Res.A.851 (20), A.854 (20), MSC/Circ.603, 645, 729, 798, 884, and so on. 4 In spite of many references to the wind speed and direction made in the international regulations as described in paragraph 2 and 3 above, there are no specific provisions in IMO instruments such as SOLAS, specifically requiring the mandatory installation of the wind measuring equipment and providing its performance standards. 5 Because there are no international regulations on the carriage requirement of the wind measurement equipment and associated performance standards, the following problems are further envisaged:.1 The wind measuring equipment is installed on board without appropriate type approval procedure that is essential to ensure the safety of ships. Furthermore, since the equipment is not subjected to any survey, it is never examined at the time of installation for proper fitting/functioning and during periodical ship surveys for continuous proper functioning..2 In the absence of the appropriate performance standards, the ship often fails to obtain sufficient and accurate information on winds from the indicator of the wind measurement equipment and this may hinder safe navigation and inconvenience navigators and pilot during voyage and manoeuvring, particularly in port areas..3 Currently, wind measurement equipment is manufactured not based on the internationally agreed requirements, but on a variety of different standards. In the future, however, integrated navigation system or integrated bridge system will prevail in the bridge design, making it essential that all components, including wind measuring equipment, are subject to international standards to ensure that information received from these components are reliable. 6 There have been many casualty reports submitted to the FSI Sub-Committee indicating wind effects as one of causal elements. Consequently, the wind information is important for the safety of ships, particularly for container ships and car carriers which are more affected by wind speed and direction. 7 For the reasons mentioned in the foregoing paragraphs, the wind measuring equipment on board should be regarded as navigational equipment that provides wind information necessary for safe navigation, in addition to serving as a general meteorological instrument. The Republic of Korea, therefore, would like to suggest that the wind measuring equipment be regulated by the international standards for safety of navigation through adding an item in carriage requirements of SOLAS regulation V/19 and establishing the associated Performance Standards. For reference, the Republic of Korea has recently introduced mandatory requirements for the carriage of wind measuring equipment on board all Korean ships engaged on international voyages.

3 - 3 - MSC 81/23/14 Scope of the proposal 8 The scope of the proposal is to develop: (1) new provisions for mandatory application of wind measuring equipment by adding an item in the carriage requirements of SOLAS regulation V/ 19; and (2) performance standards for wind measuring equipment. The performance standards should be flexible enough to accommodate innovative design and should include, as a minimum, method of presentation, accuracy of measurement and installation of the equipment onboard ships. The preliminary working paper on performance standards are provided in the annex to this document. Need for adoption of the proposal 9 The wind measuring equipment is one of the most important equipment onboard a ship as it gives wind condition required for safe navigation. It is therefore important that the wind measuring equipment is in well functioning order and can be relied upon to provide sufficient, correct and reliable information. To this end, it is necessary to develop uniform and universally accepted regulations on the carriage requirement of the wind measurement equipment and associated performance standards. Issues involving costs 10 Costs to the maritime industry There will be no substantial costs to the maritime industry related to the development of international regulations and associated performance standards as proposed. 11 Legislative and administrative burden, at a global level Installation requirement and performance standards must be developed at IMO level. These should then be implemented into national regulations. Benefits accruing 12 It is the opinion of the Republic of Korea that an international performance standard that regulates an important element such as wind information will be beneficial for the safety of seafarers and ships at sea. Priority and target completion date 13 In relation to the guidelines establishing priorities (annex of MSC/Circ.1099), the following factors of subparagraphs.5 and.6 of these guidelines seem relevant:.5 measures aimed at improving the safety and health of ships crews or personnel, and.6 measures to correct significant inadequacies identified in existing instruments. Considering the above, the proposed task should be given high priority.

4 MSC 81/23/ Two sessions at Sub-Committee level would be sufficient to prepare a proposal for the Committee. A target completion date of 2008 would be a realistic estimate. Are the subjects within the scope of IMO s objective? 15 The proposal involves the development of international regulations and associated performance standards on wind measuring equipment, and thus contributes to the enhancement of safety of life at sea. The subject is therefore clearly within the scope of IMO. Do adequate industry standards exist? 16 No uniform international regulations and associated performance standards exist. Do the benefits justify the proposed action? 17 Considering the importance of the well functioning wind measurement equipment in terms of safe navigation, the Republic of Korea is of the opinion that the benefits justify the proposed action. Identification of which subsidiary body essential to complete the work and estimation of numbers of sessions needed 18 In our opinion, the Sub-Committee on Safety of Navigation (NAV) would be the appropriate subsidiary body for developing international regulations and performance standards of wind measuring equipment. It is estimated that the Sub-Committee would need two sessions to complete the task. Action requested of the Committee 19 The Committee is invited to consider the above and add this as a high-priority item to the work programme of the Sub-Committee on Safety of Navigation for proposals to develop: (1) new provisions for mandatory application of wind measuring equipment by adding an item in the carriage requirements of SOLAS regulationv/ 19; and (2) performance standards for wind measuring equipment. ***

5 MSC 81/23/14 ANNEX PRELIMINARY WORKING PAPER ON PERFORMANCE STANDARDS FOR WIND MEASURING EQUIPMENT 1 INTRODUCTION.1 Equipment to measure and indicate wind speed and direction are intended for general navigational and ship manoeuvring use in addition to meteorological use. The standards are to provide information on relative speed and direction, true speed and direction, maximum speed of wind..2 In addition to the general requirements in resolution A.694(17) General requirements for shipborne radio equipment forming part of the GMDSS and for electronic navigational aids, the wind measuring equipment should comply with the following minimum performance requirements. 2 DEFINITIONS.1 Wind measuring equipment means a complete system, including wind sensor and indicator of wind information..2 Wind sensor means a signal generator for wind speed and direction..3 Wind indicator means an instrument displaying information regarding wind speed and direction..4 Relative wind speed and direction means wind speed and direction which are reflected by ship s speed and heading..5 True wind speed and direction means wind speed and direction which are not reflected by ship s speed and heading..6 Maximum speed means maximum wind speed during certain period before reset..7 Wind force means Beaufort wind scale..8 Starting wind speed means that minimum wind speed which the wind measuring equipment can start to measure. 3 METHODS OF PRESENTATION.1 Wind measuring equipment should be able to measure wind speed not less than 90 knots and starting wind speed less than 0.5 knots..2 Wind speed information should be presented in digital form on wind indicator..3 Wind direction information should be presented in combined form of analogue and digital on wind indicator

6 MSC 81/23/14 ANNEX Page 2.4 Following information should be displayed on the wind indicator: - Relative speed and direction - True speed and direction - Maximum relative speed - Maximum true speed - Wind force Relative or true value above may be displayed on demand with clear indication of relative or true..5 The incremental steps of digital display should not exceed 0.1 knots for wind speed and 1 degree for wind direction..6 Analogue type display should be added as a presentation method of visual appearance for wind direction..7 The display should be easily readable by day and by night..8 Means should be provided for transmitting measured speed and direction information for wind to other equipment on board in accordance with the relevant international maritime interface standards. 4 ACCURACY OF MEASUREMENT.1 Errors in the measured and indicated wind speed, when the wind sensor is located away from structure which may obstruct the natural stream of wind, should not exceed the following: knot of the relative wind speed, in case of relative wind speed of 1.0 knot to 20 knots.2 5% of the relative wind speed, in case of relative wind speed of more than 20 knots.2 Errors in the measured and indicated wind direction, when the wind sensor is located away from structure which may obstruct the natural stream of wind, should not exceed 3% of the relative wind direction..3 The performance of the equipment should be such that it will meet the requirements of these standards when the ship is rolling up to ±10º and pitching up to ±5º. 5 INSTALLATION.1 The wind sensor should be installed on the location in order not to interrupt the stream of natural wind, as far as on the top of Radar mast..2 The wind indicator should be installed on bridge overhead panel to be immediately visible from the centreline conning position, as far as possible.