REGULATION ON TRANSPORT VESSELS OPERATING IN INLAND WATERS
No. 15231 Legislation Date: 9/5/1975
Scope
Article 1 – This Regulation applies to transport vessels used in all lakes except Van Lake, dam lakes and inland waters where sea vessels do not enter.
The vessels whose voyages take place or shall take place even partially at sea are subject to the legislation for maritime ships.
Purpose
Article 2 – This Regulation has been prepared to ensure safety of life and property and arrange the traffic in the waters stated in Article 1.
Definitions
Article 3 - In terms of application of this Regulation:
a) “Inland waters” denote natural lakes except for Lake Van, dam lakes and rivers on our territory;
b) “Lake and river vessel” denote all boats used with the purpose of carrying passengers and cargo or trip purposes in inland waters no matter what their driving equipment is;
c) “Captain of lake and river vessel” denotes the individual authorized to operate and direct the lake and river vessel.
Certificate of inspection
Article 4 – The vessels to be used in inland waters should possess a valid “Certificate of Inspection of Lake and River Vessels” (Example 1).
Authority to issue certificate of inspection
Article 5 – The inspection certificate of lake and river vessels shall be issued by the following:
a) Municipal Mayor of the region where the vessel’s pier of registry is;
b) If no municipality exists at the region where the vessel’s pier of registry is, the Municipality of the District Governorship to which the region of the pier is attached.
Application for inspection:
Article 6 – For inspection of cargo or passenger vessels utilized for trips in inland waters, the owner or the operator of the vessel applies with a petition to the Municipal Mayor authorized to issue the “Certificate of Inspection of Lake and River Vessel” stated in article 5.
Competent Authority for Inspection
Article 7 – The inspection of lake and river vessels shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of this Regulation by the officials of the Municipality authorized with issuing the Inspection Certificate stated in article 5.
If the stated Municipalities do not have authorized officials who can conduct inspections of lake and river vessels, then these inspections shall be conducted by the following upon the written order of the District Governorship stated in the article 5:
a) an official of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, General Directorate of State Water Works in inland waters which have such organization;
b) an official of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, General Directorate of Turkish Electricity Agency in inland waters which have such organization;
c) for inland waters which have both the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, General Directorate of State Water Works organization and the General Directorate of Turkey Electricity Agency organization, the official of the General Directorate which is more operative in the administration.
Measurement of Vessels:
Article 8 – Vessels are measured in their first inspection by the official authorized with conducting the inspection stated in article 7 and their tonnages are determined.
Vessels with Certificates of Tonnage, issued by the Ministry of Transport, Directorates of District Ports and Maritime Affairs shall not be measured again.
The three dimensions each vessel are measured as follows:
Length: On a straight line from the front surface of the stempost to the rear surface of the sternpost or the mirror;
Width: From the exteriors of the lining at the widest location of the boat;
Depth: At the middle of the boat’s length, from the upper level of the bulwarks to the top of the lining by the side of inner frame;
Fractions of centimeters are ignored in measurements.
Gross tonnage
Article 9 – The gross tonnage of the vessel is obtained by, multiplying the length, width and depth as determined in accordance with article 8, multiplying the result with the coefficent 0.6 and dividing the overall result with 2.83.
Net tonnage (established tonnage)
Article 10 – A deduction of 2% for the storeroom and 16% for the engine room shall be made from the gross tonnage, and the remaining amount is the net tonnage of the vessel.
Inspections
Article 11 – The following inspections shall be conducted by the official authorized for conducting the inspections stated in article 7:
a) Land inspection: Lake and river vessels shall be, at least once in every four years, brought to the ground; their underwater sections shall be cleaned, the impaired sections of the boat shall be repaired or replaced; and inspected by the official of the said authority so charged and its soundness is affirmed, the underwater sections shall be repainted and the vessel shall be returned to water.
b) Inspection in water: vessels which have been found to be physically sound in the land inspection shall be inspected at least once in every two years, in water to determine whether their technical parts visible above water and the required equipment of navigation, life saving and fire fighting and other vessel accessories are in good condition pursuant to the provisions of this Regulation.
Technical aspects to be taken into account in inspection
Article 12 – State of the boat: The state of the boats of lake and river vessels shall be subject to the provisions of the “Statute on the Technical Status of Commercial Ships” in effect that apply to ships conducting port trips.
Article 13 – Seats: There shall be spaced seatings for passengers carried by the vessels.
a) If the seats are arranged facing each other in the direction of stem to stern, the distance between the rear surfaces shall be at least (.15) meters;
b) If the seats are arranged in the direction of the underdeck beam, the distance between the rear surfaces of seats facing the same direction shall be at least (0.75) meters, and that of seats facing each other shall be at least (1.35) meters.
Article 14 – Determination of the number of passengers on board: The number of passengers that vessels shall transport shall be calculated as one person per (0.45) meters of the length of the inner surfaces of the seating places whose characteristics have been stated in article 13.
The number of individuals to be transported by boats small enough to be permanently driven and managed by oars shall be calculated as one person per meter. However this amount cannot be more than 6 people.
Article 15 – Closed areas: If closed areas are to be built to protect the passengers from weather conditions in the vessel, they shall be built firmly and in accordance with its purpose. Adequate air conditioning and lighting shall be provided, and the place of entrance shall be preferably fully open. If doors are built, they shall be double winged, with an opening to the outside and the width of the aperture shall not be less than one meter.
Article 16 – Bottom flooring: The vessels shall have bottom flooring, this flooring shall be suitable for moving the water and arranged in a portable manner so as to allow for the inspection and control of the sections underneath.
Article 17 – Bottom hole cover: If there is a bottom hole at the bottom of the boat, it shall have a guide plug made of brass.
Article 18 – Helms place: The helms place shall be arranged to provide safe navigation and maneuvering and clear vision for the helmsman.
Article 19 – Stability: The official conducting the inspection of the vessel shall control the stability of the vessel, if he/she deems necessary, by the following inclination test:
In the case where 2/3 of the passengers allowed to transport are gathered at one broadside, the remaining 1/3 are gathered at the other, and each passenger is (70) kilos of weight, and their center of weight is (0.30) meters above the seats:
Vessels, which have no less than (5) centimeters of distance between the upper edge of the bulwark section nearest to the water and the water level, shall be deemed to have adequate stability.
Article 20 – Large passenger vessels: Lake and river vessels, which carry more than 36 persons, are also required to realize the following:
a) Boats should have decks, and the openings in the decks should have appropriate covering mechanisms against water;
b) The heights of stanchions of bulwarks or manropes should be not less than 1 meters from the deck, portable manrope stanchions should exit at entry-exit points or an adequate safety mechanism that operates with a chain should be built;
c) Its engine should be in good shape and in a safely running condition;
d) Its fuel tanks must be of a volume sufficient for the vessel’s journey, the passenger sections should be separated by sealed screens.
Article 21 – Freeboard: For lake and river vessels which are too big to be permanently driven and managed by oars, the distance of the lowest point of the deck from the water level at both boards shall not be less than the following amounts, even if they have taken on board their technical staff, passengers, fuel, food, cargo, and others;
a) 4 centimeters per meter of the vessel’s length for passenger vessels without decks,
b) 2 centimeters per meter of the vessel’s length for cargo vessels without decks,
c) 2 centimeters per meter of the vessel’s length for passenger vessels with decks,
d) 1 centimeter per meter of the vessel’s length for cargo vessels with decks,
The deck line shall be drawn on both boards at the section of the deck nearest to the water level when the ship is in normal rhythm. The upper edge of the line shall indicate the upper level of the deck; and in vessels without decks, it shall indicate the upper level of the top board lining, which extends from the stempost to the sternpost or the mirror.
The line of loading limit shall be placed at vertical alignment of the deck line to the water line, and its upper edge shall indicate the loading limit. There shall be a distance calculated in accordance with paragraphs a, b, c and d of this article, whichever is relevant, between the upper edges of both lines.
Article 22 – Freeboard marks: The deck lines and the loading limit lines stated in article 21 should be marked indelibly on both boards. These marks shall be marked by engraving in wooden boats and by engraving or embossing in metal boats. The lengths of both lines shall be (300) millimeters and the width shall be (25) millimeters. These lines shall be painted with white oil paint on a dark background and with black oil paint on a light background.
Article 23 – Number or name of vessel: The number or, if it exists, name of the vessel registered in the register book of lake and river vessels stated in article 29 shall be written in white letters on a dark background and with black letters on a light background at both bow quarters and the stern of the vessel.
Article 24 – Lights to be carried and rules for the prevention of collision: The lights and symbols that lake and river vessels should carry, sound signals they should give, their movements when the vision is diminished, maneuvers, and the danger signals they should send shall comply with the provisions of the “Statute on the Prevention of Collision at Sea.”
Article 25 – Life saving and fire fighting equipment: Lake and river vessels must have the following equipment:
a) 1 life jacket per person on the vessel,
b) 1 life buoy with a rope of 20 meters,
c) 1 adequate fire extinguisher for vessels whose lengths are 10 meters or less, and 2 adequate fire extinguishers for those whose length is more than 10 meters. Vessels, which carry more than 36 passengers, should have an adequate hand pump and a fire hose of adequate length to reach any part of the boat.
Article 26 – Characeteristics of life buoys: Life buoys shall be made of large pieces of cork or equivalent material. A life buoy shall be capable of floating a piece of iron of 14.5 kilos for 24 hours in sweet water, and both of its sides shall be the same. It shall be equipped with a life footrope.
Article 27 – Characteristics of life jackets: Life jackets shall be made of large pieces of cork or equivalent material. A life jacket shall be capable of floating a piece of iron of 7.5 kilos for 24 hours in sweet water, and both of its sides shall be the same.
The report indicating inspection results and the certificate of inspection:
Article 28 – If at the end of inspections conducted under article 11 it is found that the lake and river vessels comply with this regulation, in terms of boats, machinery and general equipment, the official conducting the inspection shall prepare a report and submit it to the Municipal Mayor in charge, stated in article 5. The Mayor, based on this report, draws up and issues to the applicant a Certificate of Inspection of Lake and River Vessels, signed and sealed, valid for two years.
Lake and river vessels that do not have inspection certificates or have expired certificates cannot be operated.
Registration book:
Article 29 – The Municipal Mayor who is in charege of issuing inspection certificates shall keep a “Registration Book of Lake and River Vessels.” The following is registered into this book:
a) Vessel’s registration number (if the owner has given a name to the vessel, that name also);
b) Type of vessel (cargo, passenger or trip);
c) Length, width, depth, gross tonnage and net tonnage;
d) If exists, type of engine, brand and horse power;