2022
Commencement
These Pilotage Directions shall come into force on 20th May 2022 on which date the existing Pilotage Directions are revoked.
Short Title
These Pilotage Directions may be cited as the Coleraine Harbour Pilotage Directions and are made by the Coleraine Harbour Commissioners, a competent harbour authority within the meaning of the Pilotage Act 1987, in exercise of its powers under Section 7 of that Act.
3. Definitions and Interpretations
In these Directions the following words and phrases have the following meanings (and cognate expressions shall be construed accordingly):
“Channel” means the dredged channel that extends inward from the Bar Mouth.
“COLREGS” means the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972 as amended;
“dangerous goods” means goods classified in the IMDG Code or in any other IMO publication referred to as dangerous for carriage by sea, and any other substance or goods the properties of which might be dangerous if that substance or those goods were carried by sea, and includes empty receptacles, residues in empty tanks or cargo holds which have been used previously for the carriage of dangerous goods unless such receptacles, empty tanks or cargo holds have been cleaned and dried, purged, gas freed or ventilated as appropriate or in the case of radioactive materials have been both cleaned and adequately closed; but the expression shall not include goods forming part of the equipment or stores of the ship in which they are carried;
“Harbour Master” means a person appointed by the Coleraine Harbour Commissioners to be a Harbourmaster and includes any deputies and assistants of a person so appointed.
“length overall” means the maximum length of a ship from the two points on the hull most distant from each other including any overhanging structure, measured perpendicular to the waterline, where a ship’s length is given it is the length overall;
“marine pollutants in bulk” means products carried as cargo which are subject to Annexes 1 and 2 of The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships 1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1978 relating thereto, better known as MARPOL 1973 – 78, as amended from time to time. In the context of these Directions “in Bulk” means marine pollutant carried as cargo in tanks which are a structural part of, or permanently attached to, the ship. Residues of cargo remaining in cargo tanks following the complete discharge of the cargo are not included;
“Master” includes every person (except a pilot) having command or charge of a ship for the time being and, in relation to a fishing ship, means the skipper;
“Pilot” means a person authorised under Section 3 of the Pilotage Act 1987 to act as a pilot for the relevant area within Pilotage Limits;
“Pilotage Limits” means the limits of pilotage prescribed in the River Bann Navigation Order (Northern Ireland) 2002 namely:
The area within the River Bann from the downstream side of the Millennium Bridge at Coleraine to the sea and within five hundred metres from any part of the east pier or the west pier at the Bar Mouth.
“ship” means every description of ship used in navigation and includes every description of watercraft used, or capable of being used, as a means of transportation on the water and fishing boats;
“STCW” means The International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers 1978, as amended;
“underway” means not at anchor, or made fast to the shore, or aground;
“Vegetable and/or Edible Oils” means oils derived from vegetable and animal sources;
“ship” means any craft howsoever propelled used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on the water;
In these Directions, unless the context otherwise requires:
vegetable and edible oils are deemed to be Marine Pollutants;
words importing the singular shall be construed as importing the plural and vice versa;
the Direction headings do not form part of or affect the construction or interpretation of the Directions.
Application
These Pilotage Directions shall not apply to ships of less than 20 metres in length or to fishing boats of which the registered length is less than 47.5 metres unless the ship or fishing boat is suffering a defect or deficiency that affects its normal ability to navigate and/or manoeuvre or its ability to comply with all the requirements of the COLREGS and/or STCW.
5. Compulsory Pilotage
Subject to Pilotage Direction 6, pilotage shall be compulsory, and a Pilot must be carried on the following ships navigating in all circumstances anywhere within the Pilotage Limits:
All ships with a length of greater than 30 metres;
All ships carrying marine pollutants in bulk;
All ships carrying dangerous goods;
All ships in ballast which are not gas free;
All ships engaged in towing or pushing.
Any ship greater than 20 metres in length which is suffering a defect or deficiency that affects its normal ability to navigate and/or manoeuvre or its ability to comply with all the requirements of the COLREGS and/or STCW.
Any ship manoeuvring with the assistance of tugs.
6. Pilot embarking/disembarking
Where pilotage is required by these Pilotage Directions, authorised pilots will embark/disembark ships using a pilot boat at the following location.
(a) Lat 55° 10.9 N Long 006° 45.8 W
In adverse weather conditions and under agreed circumstances a pilot may embark or disembark a ship in other areas if expressly directed to do so by an authorised pilot or harbour master.
7. Exemptions to Compulsory Pilotage
The following ships are exempted from the provisions of Pilotage Direction 5:
British and Foreign Warships;
Lifeboats of the RNLI and other ships used by the emergency services when on active service;
General Lighthouse Authority tenders;
Any ship under the command and control of a Master or Deck Officer holding a Pilotage Exemption Certificate.
8. Authorisation of Pilots and Pilot Exemption Certificates
Suitably qualified persons will be authorised as Pilots pursuant with the requirements of Section 3 of the Pilotage Act 1987 in accordance with the Pilotage Manual and the Pilots Training Program issued from time to time by Coleraine Harbour Commissioners.
Pilotage Exemption Certificates may be issued to Masters and Deck Officers of ships of greater than 30 metres in length and passenger ships greater than 35 metres in length in accordance with the Pilotage Manual issued from time to time by Coleraine Harbour Commissioners.
Any ship whilst underway anywhere within the Pilotage Limits under the control and command of a person holding Pilotage Exemption Certificate must have the person holding the Pilotage Exemption Certificate on the bridge.
9. Responsibilities of Masters
Nothing in these Pilotage Directions relieves the Master of his overriding obligation to ensure the safe conduct of his ship. Whilst the Pilot may have the conduct of the ship the Master remains in command at all times and the Pilot must be integrated into the Bridge Team.
Masters of ships using the services of a Pilot within the Pilotage Limits must remain on the bridge during the act of pilotage and ensure that a member of the crew who is capable of understanding and executing the Pilot’s orders and advice is on the bridge to do so.
10. Movements in Reduced Visibility
When visibility is less than 0.3 nautical miles the port will be closed to all ships over 30 meters length and all ships carrying dangerous goods or marine pollutants in bulk.
When visibility is less than 0.5 nautical miles ships must not pass each other in the channel.
When visibility is less than 1.0 nautical mile ships proceeding in the same direction in the channel must remain 1.0 mile apart.
11. Ships Carrying Dangerous Goods
A ship carrying dangerous goods or marine pollutants in bulk is prohibited from passing another ship carrying dangerous goods in the channel and must maintain 1.0 nautical mile separation from another ship carrying dangerous goods.
A ship carrying dangerous goods or marine pollutants in bulk is prohibited from passing a ship in the channel unless the Harbour Master has granted his permission.
12. Harbour Master’s Authority
Notwithstanding the provisions of these Pilotage Directions, the Harbour Master is in charge of managing the Harbour and in doing so may, in the interests of safety, authorise any ship by way of a Direction to deviate from these Pilotage Directions. The Harbour Master shall only give a Direction after assessing the risks associated with the marine operation in accordance with the requirements of the Port Marine Safety Code and having established that any risk is As Low As Reasonably Practicable.
13. Penalty Provisions
In accordance with section 15 of the Pilotage Act 1987 a Master may be prosecuted and fined for not complying with these Pilotage Directions.
These Pilotage Directions shall not apply to ships of less than 20 metres in length or to fishing boats of which the registered length is less than 47.5 metres unless the ship or fishing boat is suffering a defect or deficiency that affects its normal ability to navigate and/or manoeuvre or its ability to comply with all the requirements of the COLREGS and/or STCW.