Merchant Shipping (Safety and Load Line Conventions) Act 1932

ARTICLE 39 North Atlantic Routes.

The practice of following recognised routes across the North Atlantic in both directions has contributed to safety of life at sea, but the working of these routes should be further investigated and studied with a view to the introduction of such variations as experience may show to be necessary.

The selection of the routes and the initiation of action with regard to them is left to the responsibility of the steamship companies concerned. The Contracting Governments will assist the companies, when requested to do so, by placing at their disposal any information bearing on the routes which may be in the possession of the

The Contracting Governments undertake to impose on the companies the obligation to give public notice of the regular routes which they propose their vessels should follow, and of any changes made in these routes; they will also use their influence to induce the owners of all vessels crossing the Atlantic to follow, so far as circumstances will permit, the recognised routes, and to induce the owners of all vessels crossing the Atlantic bound to or from ports of the United States via the vicinity of the Great Bank of Newfoundland to avoid, as far as practicable, the fishing banks of Newfoundland north of latitude 43° N. during the fishing season, and to pass outside regions known or believed to be endangered by ice.

The Administration managing the ice patrol service is requested to report to the Administration concerned any ship which is observed not to be on any regular, recognised or advertised route, or which crosses the above-mentioned fishing banks during the fishing season, or which, when proceeding to or from ports of the United States, passes through regions known or believed to be endangered by ice.