Detail
Article 3.03(2) - Equipment located forward of the collision bulkhead - radar antenna
At the international meeting of Inspection bodies held in May 2012 in Wroclaw, there was a discussion to determine whether a radar equipment antenna and its mast belong or not to the equipment required for the vessel’s safety and for its operation (Question D1 - equipment required for the safe operation of the vessel). Note: The references of the interpretation have been updated by the Secretariat in January 2024 to reflect the applicable requirements with ES-TRIN 2023/1.
The regulations envisage the following in this respect:
• In accordance with article 3.03(2) of the ES-TRIN (vessels built in or before 1994), “No accommodation or installations needed for vessel safety or operation may be located ahead of the plane of the collision bulkhead”.
• The navigational radar installations shall be of a type approved for inland navigation. There is no general obligation concerning installation.
• The transitional provision in article 32.02(2) (table) to article 3.03(2) Safety equipment forward of the collision bulkhead is “N.R.C., at the latest on renewal of the inland navigation vessel certificate after 1.1.2015”.
It transpires from the minutes that the participants noted that the radar antennas can only be located forward of the collision bulkhead if they are redundant”. That means that radar equipment is deemed to be required for the safe operation of the vessel and that installing the radar antenna on the forepeak (with a telescopic mast in the forepeak) is not allowed.
The German delegation considers that there are no grounds for amending the requirement. Nevertheless, it invites the working group to furnish an interpretation of the requirement and to clarify whether radar equipment is necessary for the vessel’s operation. The conclusions should be published in the database on the interpretation of technical requirements to help the Inspection bodies maintain consistent administrative standards.
JWG (15) 67
The WORKING GROUP notes the absence of mandatory possession of a radar installation even if the regulations can require it for certain navigation sectors or for certain navigation conditions. Under the current technical requirements it is therefore not mandatory to install a radar antenna for safety reasons. Consequently, application of Article 3.03(2) of the ES-TRIN imposes no condition on the position of the antenna (forward or aft of the collision bulkhead).
CESNI/PT (16)m 24, item 6.3
CESNI working group technical requirements CESNI/PT, antenna, radar, collision bulkhead
