Sec.

103.36 Routing of signals. 103.37 Traffic signals.

103.38 Special traffic signals in Gaillard Cut. 103.39 Arrow signals; locks. 103.40 Transit schedules; pennants. 103.41 Ships to display schedule number. 103.42 Penalties for violation.

AUTHORITY: The provisions of this Part 103 issued under authority vested in President by 2 C.Z.C. 1331, 76A Stat. 46, and delegated to Secretary of Army by § 3.1(a)(1) of this chapter.

SOURCE: The provisions of this Part 103 appear at 31 F.R. 12289, Sept. 16, 1966, unless otherwise noted.

The Canal authorities may deny any vessel passage through the Canal when the character or condition of the cargo, hull, or machinery is such as to endanger the structures pertaining to the Canal, or which might render the vessel liable to obstruct the Canal, or whose draft, at any part of the vessel, exceeds the maximum allowable draft in the Canal as designated from time to time by the Canal authorities.

§ 103.3 Discovery of defect in vessel during transit or while underway. Upon the discovery during transit of the Canal, or at any time while underway, of any defect in a vessel of such serious nature that it might interfere with further passage or with her safe navigation, the vessel shall stop and, if practicable, be anchored or moored at the first available place. A full report shall be made immediately to the Port Captain by radio or by the best means available. § 103.4 Load and trim.

(a) A vessel shall not be permitted to transit the Canal if she:

(1) Has a list of more than 10 degrees; (2) Is so tender or otherwise so loaded as to dangerously affect her stability or maneuverability; or

(3) Is so trimmed as to dangerously affect her maneuverability.

(b) A vessel having a list of between 3 degrees and 10 degrees, or which is so loaded or so trimmed as to adversely affect her maneuverability, may be permitted to transit in the discretion of the Port Captain, provided the Master thereof, in the presence of the Pilot, signs an undertaking, for the said vessel, her owners, operators, or any other persons having any interest in her, and for himself, releasing the Panama Canal Company from and indemnifying it against, any loss, damage, or liability incurred by the Panama Canal Company under, or in respect to:

(1) Sections 291 through 297, inclusive, of Title 2 of the Canal Zone Code, 76A Stat. 23-25;

(2) Panama Canal Company or Canal Zone Government property; and

(3) Panama Canal Company or Canal Zone Government employees under the Federal Employees' Compensation Act to the extent and in the proportion that such failure to meet the requirements of this section proximately causes or contributes to the casualty and resulting damages.

(c) Nothing shall be done, or permitted to be done, by the Master or any member of the crew, which would materially alter the trim and/or draft of a vessel while it is transiting the Canal, without the prior, express approval of the Pilot.

CROSS REFERENCE: Federal Employees' Compensation Act, see 5 U.S.C. 8102 et seq. § 103.5 Deck load.

A vessel carrying a deck load shall have it so stowed as to be sufficiently clear to provide safe working space around all chocks, bitts, and other gear used in transiting and so arranged as to not obstruct any direct lead from chocks to bitts.

§ 103.6 Making up and handling rafts.

No vessel shall unload lumber, timber, or piles into the waters of a harbor without permission of the Port Captain, who shall designate where such material shall be rafted, nor shall any vessel tow a raft in the channel or harbors of the Canal without such permission.

§ 103.7 Temporary holding of vessels.

The Canal authorities may hold a vessel for the purpose of investigating any claims or disputes that may arise, or any formal or informal complaint or allegation of a violation of the laws of the

Canal Zone or of the United States or of the provisions of this chapter. A vessel may also be held until, in the opinion of the Canal authorities, its tenderness, trim, list, cargo, hull, machinery, and equipment have been put into such condition as will make the vessel reasonably safe for her passage through the Canal. No claim for damages shall be allowed or considered because of any such temporary holding of vessels.

§ 103.8 Order of transiting of vessels.

The Canal authorities may dispatch vessels through the Canal in any order and at any time they may see fit. Priority of arrival at a terminal does not give any vessel the right to pass through the Canal ahead of another that may arrive later, although order of arrival will be a consideration in determining the order of passage.

§ 103.10

Vessels without rudder-angle and engine-revolution indicators subject to delay in transiting.

A vessel in excess of 150 feet in length that is not equipped with properly operating rudder-angle and engine-revolution indicators, so located as to be readily visible to a pilot on the bridge, will be subject to delay in transiting to the extent the Canal authorities deem necessary or appropriate in order to minimize, in the light of the type and volume of Canal traffic and of other factors relating to the safety of Canal operations, the increased hazards of navigation resulting from failure of the vessel to be so equipped.

§ 103.11 Vessels without mechanical signal system to engine room subject to delay in transiting.

(a) A vessel that is not equipped with a properly operating mechanical system

of signals between the pilot house and the engine room, as recommended under paragraph (b) of this section, is subject to delay in transiting to the extent the Canal authorities deem necessary or appropriate in order to minimize, in the light of the type and volume of Canal traffic and of other factors relating to the safety of Canal operations, the increased hazards of navigation resulting from failure of the vessel to be so equipped.

(b) It is recommended that every vessel have a mechanical system of signals between the pilot house and the engine room. Any such system should return the engine order to the pilot house. If the signal system is by bells the vessel should have a tube, of proper size, so arranged as to return the sound of the bell signals to the pilot house, and should also be provided with a speaking tube or other device for the purpose of conversation between the pilot house and engine room. If the signal system is by engine room telegraph it should be capable of repeating the order back to the pilot house.

ship's regular meal hours and shall furnish a meal to the pilot between 2200 hours and 0400 hours if the vessel is transiting the Canal during such hours. In addition, vessels shall provide meals without charge during the ship's regular meal hours to any other Panama Canal personnel,

other than linehandlers, whose assignment will require them to be aboard the vessel for four or more hours. If a vessel is unable to furnish such meals they may be furnished by the Panama Canal Company at the expense of the vessel.

§ 103.17 Boat for handling lines.

A vessel shall keep at least one boat ready for lowering, for the purpose of handling lines.

§ 103.18 Accommodation ladder.

A vessel shall, weather permitting, have an accommodation ladder rigged and ready for use upon arrival in Canal Zone waters. Such accommodation ladder may be turned in and secured after pratique is granted.

§ 103.19 Pilot ladder.

A vessel shall furnish a safe, clean, and well-illuminated pilot ladder or other facility for embarking and disembarking pilots and Canal deckhands.

§ 103.20 Disabling of engines.

Except when specifically authorized by the Canal authorities, no vessel at any dock or mooring within Canal Zone waters shall have its engines disabled or otherwise rendered inoperative.

diate use. Any such vessel shall also keep each gangway which is in use, whether such gangway has been supplied by the vessel or by the Panama Canal Company, properly illuminated when necessary, and properly kept in safe condition for use, and properly secured at all times, moving or adjusting the same to allow for rise and fall of the tides and/or other changed circumstances.

§ 103.24 Gangway watch on vessels at piers in wartime, etc.

(a) In time of war in which the United States is engaged, and during any other period when ordered by the Governor, the master of a vessel lying at any wharf or pier in the Canal Zone, or his representative, shall cause to be maintained a continuous and competent gangway watch which shall check the identity of all persons going on board or attempting to go on board such vessel, or leaving or attempting to leave such vessel; shall prevent unauthorized persons from going on board such vessel; and shall, through the master of such vessel or his representative, promptly report all cases wherein unauthorized persons board or leave, or attempt to board or leave, such vessel. The report required by this section may be made to any Canal Zone police or customs/immigration officer, or to any member of the military guard or naval shore patrol, on the wharf or pier.

(b) As used in paragraph (a) of this section, "unauthorized persons" means and includes all persons other than (1) officers, members of the crew, and passengers of such vessel, and (2) persons who bear proper photographic identification and establish that they have legitimate business on board such vessel.

§ 103.25 Fishing or placing of nets or other obstructions prohibited.

No fishing nets or other obstructions shall be placed in any of the navigable waters of the Canal Zone. Fishing boats shall not anchor for the purpose of fishing nor haul nets or trawls in the anchorages or navigable channels of the Canal Zone nor in the harbors of Balboa and Cristobal. Fishing from small craft in the navigable channels of the Canal or in the harbors of Balboa and Cristobal is prohibited.

§ 103.26 Obstructions not to be placed across channels or docks.

No warp or line shall be passed across any channel or dock so as to obstruct

the passage of vessels or cause any interference with the discharging of cargoes. § 103.27 Clear view forward from the bridge and steering light requirement for certain vessels.

(a) A vessel may not be navigated in Canal Zone waters unless there is a clear, unobstructed view forward from the bridge.

(b) A vessel so constructed that the horizontal distance from the point at which the centerline intersects the foremost part of the navigation bridge deck to the point, on the centerline, at which the stem intersects the uppermost forward weather or forecastle deck is 250 feet or more in length shall have installed, at or near the stem, a light, other than a white, green or amber light, of such an intensity and so fixed as to be clear of or above obstructions and clearly visible from the navigation bridge and so shaded that it shall not be visible forward of the beam.

(c) Naval or military vessels exempted from the requirements of Part 111 of this chapter shall also be exempt from the requirements of paragraphs (b), (d), (e), and (f) of this section.

(d) The light required by this section shall be capable of being illuminated and extinguished by a suitable control switch located either on the navigation bridge or on the forecastle deck, or both.

(e) The use of this steering light shall be at the discretion of the Panama Canal Pilot who has control of the vessel.

(f) This section will be effective January 1, 1971.

[35 F.R. 12274, July 31, 1970]

A vessel arriving at a terminal port of the Canal Zone and having a mean draft in excess of that allowed under the Load Line Regulations for the tropical zone, applicable for the voyage on which the vessel is engaged, as determined by the American Bureau of Shipping, Lloyd's Register or other acceptable certifying agency, shall be required to take the services of a Panama Canal tug or tugs from the Pacific entrance Channel Buoys 1 and 2 to Gamboa Reach, from the north end of Gatun Locks to Buoy 3 in Cristobal harbor, and vice versa. However, in instances where the overdraft

is negligible, the assignment of a tug or tugs may be waived in the discretion of the Port Captain. Any vessel without mechanical motive power, or the machinery of which is or becomes disabled, or which steers badly, or which is liable to become unmanageable for any reason, shall be towed through the Canal. The Canal authorities may require any vessel to take a tug or tugs through Gaillard Cut, in the approaches to the locks, or in any other part of the Canal, when in their judgment such action is necessary to insure reasonable safety to the vessel or to the Canal and its appurtenances. The tug service in any of these cases shall be chargeable to the vessel. The Master of a vessel which steers badly, or which is liable to become unmanageable for any reason, shall report such fact and request the services of a tug. § 103.29 Anchoring in Canal Zone

waters.

No vessel shall anchor within the navigable waters of the Canal Zone in other than a designated anchorage, except in an emergency, and no craft shall tie up to any aid-to-navigation in Canal Zone waters.

§ 103.30 Assignment of berth.

All vessels entering port shall take the berth or dock assigned them by the Port Captain or his delegate.

§ 103.31 Shifting berth.

No vessel shall be shifted from one berth to another without the prior approval of the Port Captain or his delegate.

§ 103.32 Engine orders to be recorded.

(a) Every vessel over 250 feet in overall length whose propulsion engines are not controlled directly from the bridge shall, while navigating in Canal Zone waters under the control of a Panama Canal Pilot, maintain a bridge bell book and an engine room bell book. The bridge bell book shall consist of a contemporaneous record of each engine order and the time that it is transmitted from the bridge to the engine room. The engine room bell book shall consist of a contemporaneous record of each engine order and the time that it is received in the engine room. The bridge bell book and the engine room bell book must be

surrendered, upon request, to the Pilot or to the Board of Local Inspectors or other Canal authorities for the purpose of inspection and reproduction.

(b) Every vessel whose engines are controlled directly from the bridge shall, while navigating in Canal Zone waters under the control of a Panama Canal Pilot, maintain a bridge bell book. The bridge bell book shall consist of a contemporaneous record of each change in engine orders.

§ 103.33 Navigation in Gaillard Cut.

No vessel other than a vessel transiting the Canal shall navigate in Gaillard Cut except with the express prior approval of the Canal authorities.

§ 103.34

Same; control by Port Captain, Balboa.

The movement of vessels in Gaillard Cut shall be regulated by the Port Captain, Balboa, through the signal stations and Pedro Miguel Locks, or by such other persons and through such other stations or facilities as the Canal authorities may designate.

§ 103.35 Signal stations.

Signal stations for the control of traffic by visual means at Gaillard Cut are established at La Pita and Gamboa. The La Pita station is equipped with voice radio.

§ 103.36 Routing of signals.

No vessel shall communicate with any lock or signal station while in transit through the Canal, except through the pilot. This does not apply to vessels moored at the terminals of Cristobal or Balboa, before entering or after having passed through the Canal, which may wish to communicate through the terminal stations.