VESSELS EXHIBITING A BLUE FLASHING LIGHT

1. Mariners are advised that the King’s Harbour Master Portsmouth has made the following General Direction under the Dockyard Port of Portsmouth Order 2005 that the regulations herein are in force to govern the exhibiting of a blue flashing light onboard a vessel. 

2. A vessel must not exhibit a blue flashing light in the dockyard port without written permission from the King’s Harbour Master.

3. Paragraph 2 does not apply to a vessel used by—

(a) the Royal Navy when operating in an enforcement or search and rescue capacity;

(b) the King’s Harbour Master;

(c) the Associated British Ports Southampton Harbour Master;

(d) the Bembridge Harbour Master;

(e) the Cowes Harbour Commission;

(f) the Langstone Harbour Master;

(g) the Portsmouth International Port Harbour Master;

(h) an Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority;

(i) a UK police force;

(j) the Maritime and Coastguard Agency;

(k) a fire and rescue authority in England or Wales;

(l) the Royal National Lifeboat Institution;

(m) an independent lifeboat organisation that is declared as a search and rescue asset with His Majesty’s Coastguard; or

(n) United Kingdom Border Force.

4. In paragraph 3 “fire and rescue authority in England or Wales” has the same meaning as in section 1 of the Fire and Rescue Act 2004(1); and “UK police force” has the meaning given by section 375 (definitions relating to police forces) of the Armed Forces Act 2006(2).

5. A blue flashing light should be exhibited only to attract attention of others to the special purpose of the exhibiting vessel and to aid identification.

6. A vessel exhibiting a blue flashing light shall display, with appropriate lettering on either the stern and/or both sides of the vessel, identification of the organisation it belongs to.

7. Exhibiting a blue flashing light does not afford a vessel any special privilege or exempt such from compliance with the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, the Dockyard Port of Portsmouth Order 2005 or any other direction given by the King’s Harbour Master.