Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2018L01173:body:0:p112
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2018L01173
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 289446–292129

The bridle and fore-runner should be long enough to allow the towing vessel room to manoeuvre while connecting and disconnecting and there should be an effective and safe means of passing/recovering the gear to/from the towing vessel.

The securing points on the installation should be of a type that allows slipping of the towing gear in an emergency ('Smit' brackets or similar).

Reserve Tow Equipment

The secondary towing system on an installation should be identified, a readily available method of retrieval of the main towing gear established, and a safe method of passing the secondary towing system agreed.

Towing vessels engaged in long tows or where there is only a single towing vessel should carry a complete set of spare gear to enable reconnection in the event of failure.

Where possible, spare tow-wires should be stored permanently on powered drums.

Towing vessels should ensure that the installation personnel are aware of the time that may be required to rig their spare towing wire. When an additional vessel is available as reserve tug whilst on passage, it should be rigged for towing.

All crew must be fully briefed on the procedure for installing the spare tow gear and reconnecting as this is normally required to be done in adverse conditions when hazards are greater than normal and mistakes can be made due to undue haste.

Manned Tow

The personnel on board the towed vessel are responsible for:

       using the proper navigation signals on a manned tow and following the instructions issued by the person in command of the tow, and

       maintaining the vessel properly ballasted and trimmed and not making changes without the prior knowledge and agreement of the person in command of the tug.

A continuous communications link on a dedicated channel should be established and maintained between the tug and tow for the duration of the tow.

Unmanned Tow

The person in command or officer of the towing vessel must inspect the towing arrangements of unmanned tows to become familiar with the layout of both main and reserve towing gear on the vessel to be towed and to have any apparent defects corrected before connection.

The person in command or officer of the towing vessel should also check that:

       the navigation lights of the vessel to be towed are working and have capacity to last the entire length of the proposed tow, and

       sea fastenings on any cargo that the towed vessel is carrying are adequate for the intended tow.

Any machinery that may be fitted to the vessel to be towed should be inspected to ensure that side valves, watertight doors and any other hull openings are closed and that the towed vessel is