VESSELS CONSTRAINED BY THEIR DRAUGHT OR WHO CAN SAFELY NAVIGATE ONLY WITHIN A NARROW CHANNEL OR FAIRWAY

1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN jointly by the Queen’s Harbour Master Portsmouth and the Harbour Master ABP Southampton that many warships and merchant vessels (including ferries) operating within the Dockyard Port of Portsmouth, and the Port of Southampton and their approaches are at various times “vessels constrained by their draught” or “vessels who can safely navigate only within a narrow channel or fairway”.

2. Save for the exception at Paragraph 3 below, these vessels, when so constrained, are to show the signals prescribed in Rule 28 of the International Regulations for Preventing Collision at Sea, namely three all-round red lights in a vertical line, or a cylinder, in order to be afforded the privileges of Rules 8(f)(i) and (ii) (Actions to avoid collision), 9 (Narrow channels) and/or 18(d)(i) (Responsibilities between vessels when one is constrained by draught).

3. Submarines operating on the surface within the Dockyard Port of Portsmouth and the Port of Southampton are to be considered vessels who can safely navigate only within a narrow channel or fairway in accordance with Rule 9 (Narrow Channel) even when not showing the signals prescribed in Rule 28.

4. Race officials who are engaged in planning races for all types of craft are to consider the chances of interaction between racing vessels and constrained vessels when setting courses and where possible are to minimise the chances of interaction. Should it be impractical to avoid crossing shipping lanes, race officials are to ensure racing crews are briefed accordingly. Crews involved in racing are to ensure they avoid impeding the passage of vessels constrained by their draught or which can safely navigate only within a narrow channel or fairway and ensure that they maintain a proper lookout at all times.

5. If the masters or skippers of vessels under 20 metres in length, sailing vessels or crossing vessels are in any doubt as to whether a particular vessel is indeed a vessel which can safely navigate only within a narrow channel or fairway or a vessel constrained by its draught, then they are always to give it the benefit of the doubt and treat it as such.

6. Portsmouth LNTM 51/21 is hereby superseded.