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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1978
CORRECT USE OF SHIP SIGNALS *****
THE MARINE DEPARTMENT HAS REMINDED MARINERS OF THE CORRECT USE OF SOUND SIGNALS, FAIRWAY AND TRAFFIC SEPARATION ZONES IN ORDER TO PREVENT COLLISIONS AT SEA.
A SPOKESMAN OF THE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT UNDER THE INTERNATIONAL REGULATIONS FOR PREVENTING COLLISIONS AT SEA, THE VESSEL IN DOUBT OF ANOTHER'S INTENTIONS SHOULD GIVE AT LEAST FIVE SHORT AND RAPID BLASTS ON THE WHISTLE.
+SUCH SIGNAL MAY BE SUPPLEMENTED BY A LIGHT SIGNAL OF AT LEAST FIVE SHORT AND RAPID FLASHES, HE ADDED.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT IT HAD BEEN OBSERVED THAT IT IS CUSTOMARY FOR THOSE IN CHARGE OF LOCAL CRAFT TO SOUND ONE PROLONGED BLAST WHEN IN DOUBT OF ANOTHER VESSEL'S INTENTIONS.
HE SAID ACCORDING TO THE REGULATIONS, THE ONE PROLONGED BLAST IS TO INDICATE A VESSEL NEARING A BEND OR AN AREA OF A CHANNEL OR FAIRWAY WHERE OTHER VESSELS MAY BE OBSCURED BY AN INTERVENING OBSTRUCTION.
+SUCH SIGNAL SHALL BE ANSWERED WITH A PROLONGED BLAST BY AN APPROACHING VESSEL THAT MAY BE WITHIN HEARING AROUND THE BEND OR BEHIND THE INTERVENING OBSTRUCTION,+ HE ADDED.
WITH RESPECT TO THE CORRECT USE OF FAIRWAYS AND TRAFFIC SEPARATION ZONES, THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT +A VESSEL PROCEEDING ALONG THE COURSE OF A NARROW CHANNEL OR FAIRWAY SHOULD KEEP AS NEAR TO THE OUTER LIMIT OF THE CHANNEL OR FAIRWAY WHICH LIES ON ITS STARBOARD SIDE AS IS SAFE AND PRACTICABLE.+
THE SPOKESMAN REMINDED MARINERS THAT WHEN REQUIRED UNDER THE INTERNATIONAL REGULATIONS TO AVOID ANOTHER VESSEL, WHETHER BY ALTERATION OF COURSE OR REVERSING ASTERN, A VESSEL SHOULD
INDICATE SUCH MANOEUVRE BY THE APPROPRIATE SOUND SIGNAL OR SIGNALS AS REQUIRED BY THE REGULATIONS.
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