Regulations on classification of notices to mariners in Vietnam

Regulations on classification of notices to mariners in Vietnam (Internet image)

1. Contents and requirements of notices to mariners in Vietnam

* The contents of notices to mariners:

Must be clear, concise, easy to understand and fully and correctly reflect the required information.

* Requirements of notices to mariners

- The location specified in a notice to mariners is taken according to the VN-2000 and WGS-84 coordinate system with 1/10-second accuracy;

- The depth specified in a notice to mariners is the depth of the shallowest point in the area to be announced and is calculated in meter up to the water level “Chart datum” with 1/10-meter accuracy;

- The geographical name specified in a notice to mariners is taken by the geographical name specified in the nautical chart or in other published nautical materials. In case the geographical name has not been specified in the abovementioned documents, the local common name shall be used;

- The language used in the notice to mariners is the Vietnamese; it may be translated into English when necessary;

- The period on which a notice to mariners comes into force and expires (if any).

(Article 46 of Decree 58/2017/ND-CP)

2. Regulations on classification of notices to mariners in Vietnam

According to Article 44 of Decree 58/2017/ND-CP, based on their purposes, the notices to mariners in Vietnam are classified as follows:

- The notices to mariners about operations of aids to navigation:

+ The notices to mariners about new establishment of aids to navigation: the location, effect and operational features of visual, audio and radio aids that are established must be included in the notices to mariners according to the Form No. 18 provided in the Appendix enclosed with Decree 58/2017/ND-CP;

+ The notices to mariners about change of operational features of aids to navigation: when the operational features of the aids to navigation are changed, such changes must be issued using the Form No. 19 provided in the Appendix enclosed with Decree 58/2017/ND-CP;

+ The notices to mariners about suspension of operations of aids to navigation: when the aids to navigation are no longer capable of operating in accordance with the announced features, the operational suspension of such aids to navigation must be issued using the Form No. 20 provided in the Appendix enclosed with Decree 58/2017/ND-CP;

+ The notices to mariners about restoration of operations of aids to navigation: after the breakdown of aids to navigation is completely handled, the restoration of such aids to navigation must be issued using the Form No. 21 provided in the Appendix enclosed with Decree 58/2017/ND-CP;

+ The notices to mariners about cessation of operations of aids to navigation: after the aids to navigation are no longer effective and recovered, the notice to mariners about cessation of operations of such aids to navigation must be issued using the Form No. 22 provided in the Appendix enclosed with Decree 58/2017/ND-CP;

- The notices to mariners about technical specifications of navigational channels, waters in front of wharves and dedicated waters:

+ The navigational channels and waters in front of wharves and other dedicated waters, after being constructed, dredged, maintained, improved and upgraded, must have their depth surveyed in order to issue the notices to mariners and periodically surveyed and included in the notices to mariners;

+ Maritime safety enterprises shall survey the depth of public navigational channels and dedicated waters (except for the specialized transshipment areas) to include it in the notices to mariners;

+ The survey of depth and scan of obstacles of the specialized navigational channels, waters in front of wharves and specialized transshipment area shall be carried out by the organizations licensed to carry out measurement and survey.

The organization or individual that manages and operates a specialized navigational channel and within waters in front of wharf and specialized transshipment area shall take responsibility for the accuracy of the measurement and survey data provided for issuance of notices to mariners and also take responsibility for losses related to the accuracy of such measurement and survey data;

+ The depth survey and obstacle scanning specified in Point b and c of this Clause must be carried out in line with the method and technical procedures specified by the Ministry of Transport.

+ The notices to mariners specified in this Clause are made using the Form No. 23 and No. 24 provided in the Appendix enclosed herewith.

- The notices to mariners about newly-found dangerous obstacles: if there is any maritime accident or emergency resulting in ship sinking or obstacles threatening maritime safety are found, the notice to mariners about such obstacles shall be made using the Form No. 25 provided in the Appendix enclosed with Decree 58/2017/ND-CP.

- The notices to mariners about construction sites at sea or on navigational channels: the construction sites at sea or on navigational channels affecting the maritime operations shall be included in the notice to mariners about such structures, made using the Form No. 26 provided in the Appendix enclosed with Decree 58/2017/ND-CP.

- The notices to mariners about underground structures or structures passing the navigational channels:

+ The location, depth of and other safety conditions for underground structures passing the navigational channels must be included in the notices to mariners;

+ The navigational space and clearance of and other safety conditions for structures passing the navigational channel must be included in the notices to mariners.

The notices to mariners specified in this Clause are made using the Form No. 27 provided in the Appendix enclosed with Decree 58/2017/ND-CP.

- The notices to mariners about the traffic separation, restrictions or suspension of navigational channels: in special case, ships and vehicles must change their route, be restricted or operations of navigational must shall be suspended, a notice to mariners about the traffic separation, restrictions or suspension of navigational channels shall be made using the Form No. 28 provided in the Appendix enclosed with Decree 58/2017/ND-CP.

- The notices to mariners about sea areas where maritime operations are restricted or prohibited: in case a sea area is used for, military exercise waste dumping area, prohibited anchorage, search and rescue drill area, areas where oil or toxic substance spills occur, land dumping area, scientific research area, fishery, aquaculture, entertainment, tourism and sports area, area with installation of oceanographical data collection system or other civil activities that, by nature, may endanger ships in such sea area.

Therefore, those areas must be included in the notice to mariners, which is made using Form No. 29 provided in the Appendix enclosed with Decree 58/2017/ND-CP.

- The notices to mariners about retransmitted information and maritime instructions relating to the maritime operations: information about security, meteorological and hydrological conditions, earthquake, tsumani, health, epidemics and other specialized information relating to the activities of people and ships within seaport waters and Vietnamese territorial waters.

- The notices to mariners about announcement of maritime route and traffic separation within Vietnamese territorial waters: upon announcement of maritime route and traffic separation within Vietnamese territorial waters, the notice to mariners shall be issued using the Form No. 30 provided in the Appendix enclosed with Decree 58/2017/ND-CP.

Thanh Rin

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