Bermuda Ship Registry Give Advice for Continued Use of Existing BNWAS

The amendments to SOLAS Chapter V, regulation 19 which were introduced by MSC.282 (86) allow for Bridge Navigational Watch Alarm Systems (BNWAS) fitted before 1st July 2011 and which may not meet the IMO Performance Criteria to be accepted after 1st July 2011 at the discretion of the administration on the basis of an exemption.

The Government of Bermuda Department of maritime Administration has issued a shipping notice to set out the essential requirements for such a system to be accepted in Bermuda ships and the procedures to be followed.

Requirements for acceptance of existing BNWAS

Any system fitted before 1st July 2011 and which does not meet the IMO Performance Standards for such a system, or which cannot be demonstrated to meet them, may still be acceptable in a Bermuda ship provided that the system has:

• A manual ON/OFF facility protected by either a key switch, password system, or a location in the master’s cabin,
• A dormant period of between 3 and 12 minutes once switched on,
• A visual indication and an audible alarm in the wheelhouse at the end of the dormant period, but the first 15 seconds of alarm may be visual only. The visual alarm should be a flashing indication visible from all operational positions on the bridge where the OOW may reasonably be expected to be stationed. The colour of the indication(s) should be chosen so as not to impair night vision and dimming facilities (although not to extinction) should be incorporated,
• A first stage audible alarm which sounds on the bridge at the end of the visual indication period which has its own characteristic tone or modulation intended to alert, but not to startle, the OOW. This alarm should be audible from all operational positions on the bridge where the OOW may reasonably be expected to be stationed. This function may be engineered using one or more sounding devices,
• Arrangements so that if the alarm is not reset it is transferred to the backup officer’s cabin and/or the Master’s cabin within 30 seconds,
• Arrangements so that if the alarm is not reset within 30 to 90 seconds from the first visual indication in the wheelhouse, (3 minutes for larger vessels) the alarm sounds in public spaces such as mess room, ship’s office, conference room etc.
• An alarm which sounds in the locations of the Master, officers and further crew members capable of taking corrective action at the end of the bridge audible alarm period which is easily identifiable by its sound and should indicate urgency. The volume of this alarm should be sufficient for it to be heard throughout the locations above and to wake sleeping persons,
• An alarm reset function provided in the wheelhouse which may be either a push button, and / or movement detector or similar in positions providing a proper lookout,
• An emergency call facility which activates the final alarm stage.
• A timing accuracy of the system within 5% or 5 seconds whichever is less,
• An indication of any power supply failure to the system with means to provide a repeat of this indication on any central alarm panel if fitted.
• Means of activating the reset facility which is only be available from positions on the bridge that provide a proper lookout and preferably adjacent to visual indications. Means of activating the reset function should be easily accessible from the conning position, the workstation for navigating and manoeuvring, the work station for monitoring and the bridge wings.
• The operational mode indicated to the officer of the watch,

For more information and to find out how to submit a request for exemption then read the full document on the Bermuda Ship Registry website.

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If you do not already have a BNWAS onboard your vessels or if you find that your existing system is not exempt from the BNWAS regulations then Martek Marine can help you comply.

Navgard™ is the World's No.1 BNWAS with Type Approval from all the major classification societies ensuring that you can fit the same system across your whole fleet, irrespective of who your vessels are classed by.

Find out more about Navgard™ BNWAS.