Regulation 49 - Control of propulsion machinery from the navigation bridge
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Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - International Conventions - SOLAS - International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea - Chapter II-1 - Construction - Structure, subdivision and stability, machinery and electrical installations - Part E - Additional requirements for periodically unattended machinery spaces - Regulation 49 - Control of propulsion machinery from the navigation bridge

Regulation 49 - Control of propulsion machinery from the navigation bridge

  1 Under all sailing conditions, including manoeuvring, the speed, direction of thrust and, if applicable, the pitch of the propeller shall be fully controllable from the navigation bridge.

  1.1 Such remote control shall be performed by a single control device for each independent propeller, with automatic performance of all associated services, including, where necessary, means of preventing overload of the propulsion machinery.

  1.2 The main propulsion machinery shall be provided with an emergency stopping device on the navigation bridge which shall be independent of the navigation bridge control system.

  2 Propulsion machinery orders from the navigation bridge shall be indicated in the main machinery control room or at the propulsion machinery control position as appropriate.

  3 Remote control of the propulsion machinery shall be possible only from one location at a time; at such locations interconnected control positions are permitted. At each location there shall be an indicator showing which location is in control of the propulsion machinery. The transfer of control between the navigation bridge and machinery spaces shall be possible only in the main machinery space or in the main machinery control room. The system shall include means to prevent the propelling thrust from altering significantly when transferring control from one location to another.

  4 It shall be possible for all machinery essential for the safe operation of the ship to be controlled from a local position, even in the case of failure in any part of the automatic or remote control systems.

  5 The design of the remote automatic control system shall be such that in case of its failure an alarm will be given. Unless the Administration considers it impracticable, the preset speed and direction of thrust of the propeller shall be maintained until local control is in operation.

  6 Indicators shall be fitted on the navigation bridge for:

  • .1 propeller speed and direction of rotation in the case of fixed pitch propellers; or

  • .2 propeller speed and pitch position in the case of controllable pitch propellers.

  7 The number of consecutive automatic attempts which fail to produce a start shall be limited to safeguard sufficient starting air pressure. An alarm shall be provided to indicate low starting air pressure set at a level which still permits starting operations of the propulsion machinery.

Parent topic: Part E - Additional requirements for periodically unattended machinery spaces
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