MGN 280 (M) - GOV.UK

1 MARINE GUIDANCE NOTE mgn 280 (M) Small Vessels in Commercial Use for Sport or Pleasure, Workboats and Pilot Boats Alternative Construction Standards Notice to all Owners & Operators of Small Commercial Code Vessels; Boat Builders, Designersand Surveyors This notice should be read in conjunction with the Blue, Yellow, Brown and Red Codes Summary The Maritime and Coastguard Agency in co-operation with members of the Small Vessel Codes Working Group has been engaged in a harmonisation and rationalisation exercise of the existing smallvessel codes: The Safety of Small Commercial Motor Vessels - A Code of Practice The Safety of Small Commercial Sailing Vessels - A Code of Practice The Code of Practice for the Safety of Small Workboats & Pilot Boats The Code of Practice for the Safety of Small Vessels in Commercial Use for Sport or Pleasure Operating from a Nominated Departure Point (NDP) The outcome of this exercise is that the Small Commercial Vessel and Pilot Boat (SCV) Code will come into force.

2 This guidance note, in its electronic version, contains the SCV Code text as an annex and advises how the standards of the SCV Code may be used in the context of vessels already coded or in the process of coding to the existing Codes Introduction 2 These existing Codes are: 1 The Maritime and Coastguard Agency The Safety of Small Commercial Motor and its predecessors have, over the last Vessels - A Code of Practice2 10 years, developed and implemented a The Safety of Small Commercial Sailing number of codes of practice to address aVessels - A Code of Practice3 family of small1commercial vessel types. The Code of Practice for the Safety of Small Workboats & Pilot Boats4 1 Being under 24 metres Load Line Length 2 ISBN 0-11-551185-7 3 ISBN 0-11-551184-9 4 ISBN 0-11-552006-6 1 The Code of Practice for the Safety of 8 Small Vessels in Commercial Use for Sport or Pleasure Operating from a Nominated Departure Point (NDP)5 3 The Codes were published and promulgated as being representative ofindustry best practice in the appropriate industry sector The Small Commercial Vessel and Pilot 9 Boat (SCV) Code 4 As part of a rolling review, the Agency and other stakeholders in these codes have undertaken a harmonisation and rationalisation exercise which is nearingcompletion and the SCV Code text has now been approved by the Small Vessel Codes10 Steering Group for use.

3 All that remains to be completed is to bring revisedregulations into force. 5 The SCV Code text can be accessed at ld/section03 For those without access to the Internet, a printed copy is available on request fromthe Code Vessel Safety Branch. Alternative Standards for Vessels Coded to Existing Small Vessel Codes 6 The purpose of this Note is to make those with an interest in small vessels in commercial use aware that the SCV Code Standards are, from the date of publicationof this Note, available for use in the context of vessels already coded or in the process of coding, to the existing Codes. 7 This provision is enabled by regulation 6 ofMerchant Shipping (Vessels in Commercial Use for Sport and Pleasure) Regulation 19986, for non workboats and pilot boats;and regulation 8 of Merchant Shipping (Small Workboats and Pilot Boats)Regulation 19987, for workboats and pilot boats.

4 Where the SCV Code standards are used for such vessels, these will continue to be issued with Certification under the existing Codes. Certification under the SCV Code will only be appropriate for vessels constructed after the coming into force of what will be the Merchant Shipping(SmallCommercial Vessel and Pilot Boats) Regulations 20048 From the time that these proposed Regulations come into force it will beappropriate that such vessels be issued with new code certification on the renewal of the current certification, nominally five years after the issue of the current certification.. The text of the SCV Code is attached to the electronic form of this notice as an Annex, or a printed version is available on requestfrom the Code Vessel Safety Branch. Further Information Further information on the contents of this Notice can be obtained from the address at the end of this Notice.

5 5 ISBN 0-11-551812-6 6 SI 1998 No:2771 7 SI 1998 No:1609 It is hoped that these Regulations will made in 2004 otherwise the year reference will be 2005. 2 8 Code Vessel Safety BranchMaritime and Coastguard Agency Bay 2/05 Spring Place105 Commercial Road SO15 1EG Telephone: 023 8032 9131 Fax: 023 8032 9447 E-Mail: General Enquiries: 24 Hour 0870 600 6505 MCA Website Address: Internet: File Ref: MS 93/04/010, MS 3/01/001 and MS 93/04/024 Published: October/2004 Crown Copyright 2004 The MCA is an executive agency of the Department for Transport Safer Lives, Safer Ships, Cleaner Seas 3 ONLY TO BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH mgn 280 Annex (Available in Electronic Form ONLY) See: 4 ONLY TO BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH mgn 280 THE SMALL COMMERCIAL VESSEL AND PILOT BOAT CODE OF PRACTICE CONTENTS 1 Foreword 2 Definitions 3 Application and Interpretation Application Areas of Operation Certification Sports Diving.

6 Sea Angling and Other Water Based Recreational Activities Water Based Activities Interpretation Certifying Authorities Local Authorities appointed as Certifying Authorities Updating of the Code Vessels Operating in Protected Waters and/or a Restricted Service Equivalent Safety Standards Equivalent Standards 4 Construction and Structural Strength General Requirements Structural Strength General Construction materials Decks Weather deck Recesses Watertight Bulkheads Inflatable Boats General Construction materials Testing 5 Weathertight Integrity Hatchways and Hatches General requirements Hatchways which are open at sea Doorways and Companionways Doorways located above the weather deck Companion hatch openings Skylights 5 ONLY TO BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH mgn 280 Portlights and Windows For the wheelhouse Ventilators and Exhausts Air Pipes Sea Inlets and Discharges Materials for Valves and Associated Piping 6 Water Freeing Arrangements General Motor Vessels Sailing Vessels 7 Machinery General Requirement Diesel Engines Petrol Engines Installation Engine Starting Portable Equipment Stowage of Petrol 8 Electrical Arrangement General Systems Lighting Batteries Battery system requirements Battery stowage Ventilation Cables Hazardous Spaces Lightning Protection 9 Steering Gear.

7 Rudder and Propeller Systems Steering Rudder System Propeller System 10 Bilge Pumping General System Requirements Vessels Carrying 16 or More Persons or Operating in Area Category 0 or 1 Vessels Carrying 15 or Less Persons and Operating in Area Category 2 to 6 Open Boats, Inflatable Boats and Boats with a Buoyant Collar Bilge Alarm 6 11 ONLY TO BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH mgn 280 Intact Stability All Vessels General Damage Survivability Multihull vessels Motor Vessels complying with Section Permitted areas of operation Motor Vessels Complying with Section Inflatable Boats or Boats Fitted with a Buoyant Collar Stability tests Damage tests inflatable boats Swamp test Person recovery stability test Vessel Fitted with a Deck Crane or other Lifting Device Vessel Engaged in Towing Sailing Monohull Vessels Complying with Section Sailing Monohull Vessels complying with Section General Vessels without external ballast keels Vessels fitted with external ballast keels Assessment using

8 The RYA STOPS numeral or use of SS numeral calculated by the Royal Ocean Racing Club Table showing permitted areas of operation, STOPS Numerals and Design Categories for a vessel operating in area categories other than 0 or 1 and carrying 15 or less persons Sailing Multihull Vessels Approval of Intact and Damage Stability A vessel not required to have an approved Stability Information Booklet A vessel required to have an approved Stability Information Booklet A vessel required to have approved damage stability information 12. Freeboard and Freeboard Marking Sailing Vessels General Freeboard mark and loading Motor Vessels General Minimum freeboard All motor vessels Freeboard mark and loading Inflatable boats 7 13 ONLY TO BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH mgn 280 Life-Saving Appliances General Liferafts Category 0 Category 1 Categories 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 Lifebuoys Lifejackets Thermal Protective Aids Portable VHF 406 MHz EPIRB SART General/Fire Alarm Pyrotechnics Training Manual Instruction Manual (on board maintenance)

9 14 Fire Safety General Vessels Operating in Category 0 and 1 and in any other Category Where the Total Installed Power Exceeds 750 kW Insulation Cleanliness (and Pollution Prevention) Open Flame Gas Appliances Furnishing Materials Fire Detection Means of Escape 15 Fire Appliances General Vessels Less than 6 metres in Length Operating in Category 6 Waters Open Vessels, Inflatable Boats and Boats with a Buoyant Collar up to 8m in Length not Fitted with a Substantial Enclosure Vessels Less than 15 metres in Length and Carrying 15 or Less Persons Vessels 15 metres or More in Length or Carrying 16 or More Persons Provision for Fire Extinguishing in Machinery Spaces Informative Notes 16 Radio Equipment General Requirements Radio Installation 17 Navigation Lights.

10 Shapes and Sound Signals 18 Navigational Equipment 8 ONLY TO BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH mgn 280 Magnetic Compass Fluxgate Compass Other Equipment 19 Miscellaneous Equipment Nautical Publications Signalling Lamp Radar Reflector Measuring Instruments Searchlight 20 Anchors and Cables General Anchors Cables Towline Operations Area of Operation Category 0, 1, 2, or 3 Area of Operation Category 4 and 5 Area of Operation Category 6 21 Accommodation General Hands holds and grab-rails Securing of heavy equipment Access/escape arrangements Ventilation Hot water systems Vessels at Sea for More Than 24 Hours General Ventilation Lighting Water services Sleeping accommodation Galley Toilet facilities Stowage facilities for personal effects 22 Protection of Personnel Deckhouses Bulwarks, Guard Rails and Handrails (General) Sailing Vessels Safety Harness 9 ONLY TO BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH mgn 280 Toe Rails Safe Location Surface of Working Decks Recovery of Persons from the Water Personal Clothing Noise 23 Medical Stores 24 Tenders (Dinghies)