Regulation 4 Visibility from the Bridge

(1)

The steering position of a new ship shall be situated above all decked superstructures other than the wheelhouse (if any) in which it is situated.

(2)

Subject to regulations 6 and 7, the steering position of a ship shall be so sited and any wheelhouse shall be so constructed –

(a)

as to provide the helmsman at the steering position with all round visibility, and

(b)

that the helmsman at the steering position can, if necessary by moving across a level and unobstructed deck within the permitted limits–

(i)

see the surface of the water at a distance of not more than 2 ship's lengths from the ship, over the arc from abeam on either side through right ahead, and

(ii)

see an object situated 4 metres above the surface of the water at a distance of 200 metres from the stern of the ship, over the arc from abeam on either side through right astern.

(3)

For the purposes of paragraph (2) –

(a)

the presence of a blind arc of visibility abaft the beam from the steering position shall not prevent visibility from being all round visibility if the helmsman can, by moving horizontally within the permitted limits, obtain visibility over the whole of that blind arc, and

(b)

“the permitted limits” are –

(i)

for a ship with a single steering position, up to 1 metre either side of the steering position, or

(ii)

for a ship with two steering positions within the wheelhouse (or wings), between these two positions, or

(iii)

for a ship with a mobile controller from which an operator is able to steer the ship from any part of the wheelhouse and bridge wings as appropriate (“wandering lead control”), from side to side of the ship, or the maximum reach of the wandering lead if this is a lesser distance.