Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 December 2006 laying down technical requirements for inland waterway vessels and repealing Council Directive 82/714/EEC (2006/87/EC) (repealed)

Article 7.02 Unobstructed view

1. There shall be an adequately unobstructed view in all directions from the steering position.

2. The area of obstructed vision for the helmsman ahead of the vessel in an unladen state with half of its supplies but without ballast shall not exceed two vessel lengths or 250 m, whichever is less, to the surface of the water over an arc from abeam on either side through right ahead of the vessel.

Optical and electronic means for reducing the area of obstructed vision may not be taken into account during the inspection.

To further reduce any area of obstructed vision, only suitable electronic devices shall be used.

3. The helmsman's field of unobstructed vision at his normal position shall be at least 240° of the horizon and at least 140° within the forward semicircle.

No window frame, post or superstructure shall lie within the helmsman's usual axis of vision.

Even in the case where a field of unobstructed vision of at least 240° of the horizon is provided, the inspection body may require other measures and in particular the installation of suitable auxiliary optical or electronic devices if no sufficiently unobstructed view is provided towards the rear.

The height of the lower edge of the side windows shall be kept as low as possible and the height of the upper edge of the side and rear windows shall be kept as high as possible.

In determining whether the requirements in this Article for visibility from the wheelhouse are met, the helmsman shall be assumed to have a height of eye of 1 650 mm above the deck at the steering position.

4. The upper edge of the forward facing windows of the wheelhouse shall be high enough to allow a person at the steering position with height of eye of 1 800 mm a clear forward view to at least 10 degrees above the horizontal at eye-level height.

5. There shall in all weathers be suitable means of providing a clear view through the windscreen.

6. The glazing used in wheelhouses shall be made of safety glass and have a light transmission of at least 75 %.

To avoid reflections, the bridge front windows shall be glare-free and inclined from the vertical plane, so as to form an outward angle of not less than 10° and not more than 25°.