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KHM Clyde / Safety and regulations / Regulations

OPERATING IN THE HARBOUR

This section details the entry and departure guidelines for vessels to be observed within the limits of the Clyde Dockyard Ports of Gareloch and Loch Long. Additional navigational information can be found here. 

A Royal Navy ship heads towards the camera with 2 harbour patrol boats at its port side

General overview

The King's Harbour Master may, as necessary, require the owner or agent of any vessel of and above 80 tons net registered to notify him of the times of prospective arrivals and departures of such vessels within the Dockyard Port over a specific period including any unforeseen changes of those times.

This rule shall apply when it is necessary to carry out the movement of a Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarine or a Nuclear Powered Fleet Submarine to or from a naval establishment within the Dockyard Port. The owner, agent or Master of any vessel shall comply with any special directions of the King's Harbour Master at to any variation of the time of arriving or sailing or as to the navigation of the vessel; within the Dockyard Port.

General rules

When it is necessary for a Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarine, a nuclear-powered Fleet Submarine, or other large naval vessel to proceed to or from a Dockyard Port, or to be turned, moved, berthed or docked within the area of a Dockyard Port, the King's Harbour Master may, for the sake of safety of navigation, hoist the following signals.

FASLANE RESTRICTED AREA

Three Red lights vertically disposed, supplemented by day by Code Pendant Nine, displayed at:

  • Faslane - on the KHM Building or otherwise in a conspicuous position; and
  • By tugs or patrol craft in the vicinity of Faslane Restricted Area.

COULPORT RESTRICTED AREA
Three Red lights vertically disposed, supplemented by day by International Code Pendant superior to Pendant Nine, displayed at:

  • Coulport Jetty: and
  • By tugs or patrol craft at the northern and southern limits of the Coulport Restricted Area.
A conetxt image through some trees of an Aircraft carrier in a narrow channel
Navy vessel docked at port Clyde during the day

Prohibited activities

During the period these signals are displayed no person shall:

  1. Enter or pass through or over or remain in or over the Restricted Channel without authority or permission;
  2. Cause or permit any vessel or thing to enter into or upon or to pass through or over or to be or remain in or upon or over the Restricted Channel without authority or permission.
  3. Remain in the Restricted Channel after having been requested to leave;
  4. Make any false statement, either orally or in writing, or employ any other form of misrepresentation, in order to obtain entry to any part of the Restricted Channel;
  5. Intentionally obstruct any person acting in the proper exercise or execution of his duty within the Restricted Channel;
  6. Board, climb upon or remain on board any vessel or thing within the Restricted Channel without authority or permission;
  7. Interfere with, or interfere with the movement or passage of, any vessel or thing in the Restricted Channel.

Dredging

Signals between sunset and sunrise

Amidships - Three black balls of not less than 0.6 metres in diameter placed in a triangular form at least 2.4 metres apart, at right angles to the keel with the apex uppermost, the base of triangle to be higher than and clear of the framework, funnels, or any other erection upon the dredger. If so moored or working are to make it necessary to prohibit passage on one or both sides, a red flag or flags at least 1.5 metres in the hoist is to be substituted for the lower ball at the base of the triangle on the side or sides on which passage is prohibited.

Signals in fog

  • In fog, mist, falling snow, or heavy rain storms or in any other condition similarly restricting visibility, a dredger art work or in a position for working shall at intervals of not more than 1 minute sound a gong rapidly for about 5 seconds.

Lights between sunset and sunrise

  • Forward - In the forward part of the dredger at a height of not less than 6.1 metres and not more than 12.2 metres above the hull, a white light in a lantern so constructed as to show a clear, uniform and unbroken light visible all round the horizon at a distance of at least one mile.
  • Amidships - Three white lights of the said description placed in a triangular form at least 2.4 metres apart, at right angles to the keel with the apex uppermost, the base of triangle to be at least 3.0 metres higher than the forward light and to be also higher than and clear of the framework funnels, or other erections upon the dredger. If a dredger is so moored or working as to make it necessary to prohibit the passage of vessels on one or both sides, a red light (visible as aforesaid) shall be substituted for the white light at the base of the triangle on the side, or sides, on which passage is prohibited.
  • Aft - One white light of the said description at or near the stern of the dredger and at such a height that it shall not be less than 4.6 metres lower than the forward light.

Further information

  1. No merchant or other private vessel shall anchor or fish:
    on the line of any electric cable or pipe laid down in the Dockyard Port when such line is indicated by posts or other discernible marks on shore; or
    Within any area shown on the Admiralty Charts as an area in which anchorage is prohibited and in respect of which a warning has been conveyed to mariners by notice issued by the Ministry of Defence.
  2. No merchant or other private vessel, or barge, hulk, raft, pontoon or other floating structure shall:
    make fast to, or lie at, any of the buoys or beacons placed by the King's Harbour Master to mark channels or shoals in the Dockyard Port; or
    be moored or fastened to any of His Majesty's naval moorings, buoys, breakwaters, boom defences, dolphins, jetties, piles or vessels in the Dockyard Port, save with the licence in writing of the King's Harbour Master and in accordance with any conditions attached thereto; or
    be moored or anchored within 150 of any of His Majesty's naval moorings, jetties, floating docks, dolphins, vessels, hulks, installations or armament depots, save with the licence in writing of the King's Harbour Master and in accordance with any conditions attached thereto; or
    Be moored, anchored or placed in the Dockyard Port so as to give a foul berth to any vessel already at anchor or at moorings, or to obstruct passage within or entrance into any part of the Dockyard Port.

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