Merchant Shipping (Safety and Load Line Conventions) Act 1932

ARTICLE 29 Watches.

1 Passenger Ships.

Each passenger ship which, in accordance with Article 27, is required to be fitted with a radiotelegraph installation, shall, for safety purposes, carry a qualified operator, and, if not fitted with an auto-alarm, shall, whilst at sea, keep watches by means of a qualified operator or a certified watcher, as under :—

(a) All passenger ships under 3,000 tons gross tonnage, as determined by the Administration concerned:

(b) All passenger ships of 3,000 tons gross tonnage and over, continuous watch.

Each Administration is authorised to exempt passenger ships belonging to its country from 3,000 tons to 5,500 tons gross tonnage, both included, from the requirement of a continuous watch for a period not exceeding one year from the date of the coming into force of the present Convention, provided that during the period of such exemption they shall maintain a watch of at least 8 hours per day.

2 Cargo Ships

Each cargo ship which, in accordance with Article 27, is required to be fitted with a radiotelegraph installation, shall, for safety purposes, carry a qualified operator, and, if not fitted with an auto-alarm, shall, whilst at sea, keep watches by means of a qualified operator or a certified watcher, as under:—

(a) All cargo ships under 3,000 tons gross tonnage, as determined by the Administration concerned:

(b) Cargo ships from 3,000 to 5,500 tons gross tonnage, both included, at least 8 hours' watch per day:

(c) Cargo ships over 5,500 tons gross tonnage, continuous watch.

Each Administration is authorised to exempt ships belonging to its country included in (c) above from the requirement of a continuous watch for a period not exceeding one year from the date of the coming into force of the present Convention, provided that during the period of such exemption they shall maintain a watch of at least 8 hours per day.

Each Administration is also authorised to exempt ships belonging to its country from 5,500 tons to 8,000 tons gross tonnage from the requirement of a continuous watch for a further period of one year, provided that during this further period of exemption they shall maintain a watch of at least 16 hours per day.

3 On all ships fitted with an auto-alarm this auto-alarm shall, whilst the ship is at sea, always be in operation when the operator or watcher is not on watch.

On ships for which the hours of watch are to be determined by the Administration concerned, such watch should be maintained preferably at hours prescribed for radiotelegraph service by the International Radiotelegraph Convention in force.

On ships which are required to keep 8 hours' or 16 hours' watch per day, such watch shall be maintained at the hours prescribed for radiotelegraph service by the International Radiotelegraph Convention in force.

4 By " auto-alarm " is meant an automatic alarm receiver which complies with the requirements of Article 19, section 21, of the General Regulations annexed to the International Radiotelegraph Convention, 1927.

5 By " qualified operator " is meant a person holding a certificate complying with the provisions of the General Regulations annexed to the International Radiotelegraph Convention in force.

6 By " certified watcher " is meant any person holding a watcher's certificate issued under the authority of the Administration.