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  LAW ON RIVER NAVIGATlON

Phnom Penh  May 1, 1991

 

chapter i: general provisions

1.   All motor and motor-less boats navigating on the water surface of the territory of the State of Cambodia shall have the requisite technical qualifications to assure the welfare, safety and order of the maritime traffic and to prevent danger to the lives of the people who are traveling on those boats.

2.   When travelling across public structures which are constructed in the river along the way, such as turntable bridges, floating bridges, liftable bridges, water partitions, all motor and motor-less boats shall respect the rules and the instructions of the agents on duty at these stations. Only the agents responsible at these buildings shall have the authority to control the opening or closing of the access gates.

3.   Danger warning signs which may constitute obstacles or dangers to navigation should be made in compliance with the standards of the Ministry of Communications and Transports and shall be placed at all bridges with water partitions, hydro stations, fishing stations, and pumping stations.

4.   It is prohibited to anchor or to berth boats along the river which may obstruct navigation, except for special cases when surveys were being conducted to dig up or restore streams, canals and emergency rescue routes.

5.   All kinds  of motor and motor-less boats used for carrying goods, passengers, and fuels, fishing boats, pumping boats, crane boats, tug boats, barges or boats (motor-less) of capacity from 1 tons and up, whether privately or state-owned, or belonging to foreign nationals which are navigating, temporary or permanently, on the rivers or in the sea in the territory of Cambodia shall have registration card issued by the Ministry of Posts, Communications and Transports or by the Communications Services of the provinces or municipalities, according to their types, as set forth in the Instruction Circular of the Ministry of Posts, Communications and Transports.

6.   Navigators are required to have pilote license according to each category of the boats as set forth thereunder:

a)      1st class Pilot License:

         The holder of a pilot license for a boat with a capacity of 301 tons and up, or a tug-boat with a capability to pull boats from 301 tons and higher  shall be of at least 25 years of age.

b)     2nd class Pilot License:

         The holder of a pilot license for a boat with a capacity from 51 to 300 tons, or tug boat with a capability to tug boats of capacity from 51 to 300 tons shall be of at least 25 years of age.

c)      3rd class Pilot License:

         The holder of a pilot license for a boat with a capacity from 50 tons and below, shall be of at least 22 years of age.

7.   Each boat shall have a mechanics responsible for the engine. Each mechanics shall possess a mechanical certificate and shall keep it with him at all times.

There are 3 types of mechanical certificates:

a)   1st class Mechanical Certificate:

         The holder of this certificate shall stay on duty in a boat which has 151HP and up, shall be of at least 22 years of age.

b)   2nd  class Mechanical Certificate:

      The holder of this certificate shall stay on duty in a boat which has 91HP to 150HP, shall be of at least 22 years of age.

c)   3rd class Mechanical Certificate:

      The holder of this certificate shall stay on duty in a boat which has 30HP to 90 HP, shall be of at least 22 years of age.

8.   Each boat shall have the following documents to present to control officers:

a)   registration card

b)   boat pilot license

c)   mechanical certificate

d)   navigational authorization

e)   technical control log book

f)    mechanic's book

g)   travel visa book

h)   tax receipts

9.   All the motor and motor-less boats used for transportation business shall be brought in regularly for mechanical control and check as prescribed by the Ministry of Post, Communications and Transports, or to the Communication services if they are in the provinces or municipalities.

10. Motor and motor-less boats navigating along the river shall to reduce their speeds upon the following cases:

  • when reaching the junction of rivers, where the river is divided into three or four branches, at river curves, when the river is shallow or when the geographical situation of the place is uncertain

  • when approaching another anchored boat

  • when noticing another boat setting up its floating signs

  • when noticing another boat or motor boat in distress

  • when noticing another boat unloading or loading goods

  • when reaching a water depth survey site, or any construction sites such as dam building or approaching posts or columns of the bridge

  • When noticing other boat lifting red flag, or projecting high beams to all directions  (360°).

  • in the port zone

  • When reaching places  with many ships or boats birthing there

  • When encountering heavy rains or strong winds, smoke or low visibility

  • When uncertain of the access, and suspicious of an obstacle underneath like a sand bank or a log, etc.

  • When noticing a floating direction sign.

11. All 3 types of tug boats namely, the large size tug boat which can pull over 150m, the medium size tug boat which can pull from 100 m up to 150 m, and the small size tug boat which can pull below 100 m, shall tug other boat(s) or things by tying them behind when navigating in large rivers, lakes or crossing the oceans.

  • It is prohibited to tug things from behind, or to tie them on the side of the tug-boat, when navigating in the middle of Tonle-Sap lake, or near the sea, or in the open sea, which may cause danger when encountering with storms or huge waves.

  • They can be done only in areas where there is no strong wind, big waves or when navigating near ports, or for short distances moving.

12. Boat engine maintenance and check shall be done on a regular basis in order to avoid engine breakdown during navigation.

13. During daylight, domestic boats from 150HPs and up are required to fly the national flag. Foreign boats, regardless of their horse power are required  to fly their national flags.

14. Each boat shall have the following minimum necessary equipment and tools:

  • two anchors and cable long enough for use          

  • chains appropriate with the type of boat, which could be usable when needed

  • small life-saving row boat or motor-boat and life jackets and floating devices

  • bell, drum or bronze gong

  • some well preserved medicine

  • two round lanterns shedding 360 degree lights for anchored boat

  • three round red lanterns, for navigational emergencies when the boat got stuck or when there is something wrong happening

  • two side lanterns,  one green, and one red color reserved for use when needed

  • three to four white lanterns reserved for use when needed

  • one red ensign

  • one green ensign

  • one yellow ensign with the letter "Q" imprinted on it

  • one ensign with the letter "L" imprinted on it

  • horn or whistle

  • extinguishers

  • one national flag reserved for use when needed

 

CHAPTER II: MOVING ASIDE, OVERTAKING AND BERTHING

I.     MOVING ASIDE:

1.   During river navigation, each motor or motor-less boat shall maintain their right at all times.

2.   Small motor-less boats, when crossing with large size motor boat, shall move aside immediately towards any river bank which is the nearest and shall in no way cross the path of another boat.

3.   At all times, small size motor boats shall give way to the large size motor-less boats. Large size motor-less boats when meeting with a small motor-less boat shall give a blow of whistle to announce the side it is going to take to alert the small boat to move aside.

4.   a)   Motor boats navigating along on the same direction of the current of water flow shall have first priority for choosing the appropriate side to move to.

When deciding to move to its right hand side, it shall give a short blow of whistle prior to the move to the right. If it decides to move to the left hand side, two short blows of whistle shall be given prior to the move to the left. The motor or motor-less boats navigating on the opposite direction of the water current shall move to the side to give access to the motor or motor-less boat which is navigating lengthwise with the direction of water current, in compliance with the request of this latter, by giving blows of whistles in response to the given whistles above.

b)   In the event the motor or motor-less boat navigating on the opposite direction of the water current a signal shall be first given, and if, for some reasons, the motor or motor-less boat going on the direction of the water current can not accept such request, it shall give out blows of whistles indicating the side it is going to take, then swiftly move to that side.  The motor or motor-less boat which is navigating against the direction of water current shall absolutely obey it.

c)   In the event the water is not flowing, any motor or motor-less boat which first blows its whistles shall have first priority to chose the side to which it is going to take. The other motor-less boat shall respect it.

5.   a)   In the event the access is too small, making it difficult to get aside, the motor or motor-less boat navigating on the opposite direction of the water current shall slow down then move to the side, or stop and wait prior to proceeding further until the motor-less boat navigating lengthwise with the direction of water current goes first. If the water is not flowing, any motor or motor-less boat which gives the blows whistle first shall have first priority, and the other motor or motor-less boat shall slow down and let the other boat go.

b)   In the event a motor boat is tugging something behind it and is navigating opposite to the direction of the water current in very narrow access, and need to move aside from another motor or motor-less boat which has no tugging behind, and which is going lengthwise with the direction of the water current, both boats shall slow down.  The tug boat shall move aside to near the medium line, and if necessary move the tugged boat straight behind it, in order to open space for the other boat to go forward.

      At that time the single boat which has nothing behind it goes lengthwise with the direction of the water current, if necessary, shall slow down to a minimum extent, just enough to let itself go slowly and so that the steering can still be controlled.

c)   In the event the two tug boats go in opposite directions at a very narrow place, both boats shall slow down. If necessary, the tug boat which goes opposite with the water current shall move the tugged thing straight behind it. And if it is also necessary the other tug boat which goes lengthwise with the water current shall do the same .

d)   In the event a tug-boat is pulling another boat behind and goes lengthwise with the direction of water current and the other boat with nothing behind goes opposite to the direction of the water current, both boats shall slow down. The boat which goes opposite to the direction of the water current shall move to the right side of the medium line, the tug boat shall then move the tugged boat straight behind it.

6.  a)    When a boat with a cable pulling a line of boats crosses with another boat which pulls nothing behind it, the boat with the line behind, shall move aside to align with the other boats  which it pulls behind.

b)   When two boats (both with cables pulling a line of other boats respectively behind them near opposite river banks) go in opposite direction and cross each other, both of them shall move aside to take sides with the boats behind.

c)   When two boats both of which are pulling other boats near the same river bank, the one carrying less heavy goods or carrying no goods, shall move aside and take side with the boat it pulls behind.

d)   When two boats both of which are pulling other boats behind them at the same side of the river bank, and both are carrying the same heavy or not so heavy goods,  the one which goes opposite the direction of the water current shall move aside to align the other boat it pulls behind. In the event the water is calm and stagnant, both boats  shall comply with the general navigational principles.

II.    OVERTAKING:

1.   In principle, the motor or motor-less boat shall maintain left when overtaking other boat. When a motor boat catches up another boat, it has right to overtake such boat, except in the following cases:

  • when there is obstacle in front, or there are other boats going across  ahead

  • in very narrow canal or near a bridge

  • at the intersection of 3 branches or in a section of the river curves

  • when there is no visibility within a distance of 500 meters

  • when crossing a bridge or near a water partition

2.   When approaching another boat ahead within about 500m distance, the boat behind shall give out long blows of whistles for several times to request the other boat at the front to give way. Upon hearing the bows of whistles and seeing a boat behind it, the front boat shall take to the right and give way for the boat behind to overtake it from the left.

When navigating in a place where the access is very large, the boat at the front, if for some reasons  it cannot move to its right, may then move to the left instead and allow the other boat to overtake it on the right. In such a case the front boat shall give out two short blows of whistles, then swiftly move to its left. When the boat behind overtakes it, the front boat shall slow down and wait until the rear boat passes ahead for at least 200 meters, prior to resuming to its previous speed.

When overtaking, the rear boat shall not get too close to the front boat, and if it has not yet reached at least 200 meters ahead of the front boat, it shall not turn on the course of the  front boat.

If the access is too narrow or for some reasons it is impossible to give way for overtaking the front boat shall alert the rear boat by giving 5 short blows of whistles.

a)   overtaking between two single motor-less boats:

      the front boat shall row aside to the left side, to let the other boat overtake it on its left

b)   overtaking a boat pulling another boat by a single motor-less boat:

      the boat pulling a line behind it shall move aside to take side with the line behind it.

c)   overtaking a boat pulling a line by a single boat:

      the single boat shall move aside towards the bank where the line behind the other boat is not there

d)   When two motor-less boats both pulling a line behind overtake each other.

      the front boat shall move aside to take side with the line it is pulling and let its cable line sink down underneath it, if both of the boats have their lines at the same side of the bank

III.   RIGHT TO FIRST PRIORITY

1.   When two motor boats are navigating and one of them goes across the path in front of the other, and where during daylights they can see each other roofs, and at nighttime they can see the rooftop "green or red lights", in such case the priority to pass shall be given to the boat which is on the right side. At nighttime, priority to pass shall be given to the boat which gives out the red light.

2.   a)   When one boat is a sail and the other has no sail:

            ln this case the boat without a sail shall move aside and give way to the sail boat.

b)   When both boats are sail boats:

  • the boat going lengthwise with the direction of the wind shall move aside and give way to the one going opposite the wind's direction

  • the boat which is pushed by the wind from the left shall move aside and give way to the one which is  pushed by the wind from the right

  • when one boat goes across the path in front of the other, the boat going by the direction of the wind shall move aside and give way to the other one going against the wind.

  • When one boat goes by the direction of the water current, and the other one goes in opposite direction, in this case the one going against the direction of the water current shall move aside and give way to the other

3.   For group of motorboats navigating in file on the same direction, a distance of at least 200 meters shall be kept between each boat.

      For groups of boats navigating on the same direction, a distance of at least 500 meters shall be kept between each group. When crossing with other group of motor or motor-less boats, they shall move aside.

4.   When going under a bridge or by a water partition, the navigator of the motor or motor-less boat shall respect the rules and directions of the agents on duty.

      Motor or motor-less boats shall reduce their speed when approaching a bridge or a water partition. When it cannot proceed all at the same time, they shall arrange in proper queue as directed by the competent agents .

      When approaching about 1000 m  from a bridge or a water partition, the motor boat shall give out long blows of whistles for four (4) times, in order to request access. When approaching about 100 m from the bridge or water partition, if the bridge or water partition is not yet opened for access, the boat shall wait and continue to blow the whistles as reminder in the same maneer as indicated above.

      When the agent on duty on the bridge or the water partition gives signal to go, the motor or motor-less can then proceed.

      When crossing the bridge or water partition, all boats shall proceed slowly one after the other, and shall not try to overtake nor side the other boat.

      when crossing under the bridge or a water partition the ingle boat can proceed first before the groups of boats.

      Boat going lengthwise with the direction of the water current shall have priority to proceed before the other one going against the direction of the water current.

      When the bridge or water partition is opened, the boat which has priority to proceed first shall give blows of whistles.

IV.    BERTHING:

1.   Boat can berth and wait for a short moment in the water partition, till it is opened. When it is impossible for the boat to continue its way, while waiting in the water partition, the agent on duty shall show the appropriate place for the boat to berth. The boat shall be properly attached, but shall at no time tie the boat to the door of the water partition.

      When berthing at the port, motorboat shall be docked in proper place as indicated. Passengers or cargo bridges  with rails shall be tied very firmly to a cable with a net stretched out underneath.

The person in charge of the motor boat berthing at the port shall:

  • assist the boat coming in to berth next by helping to pull its cord and tie it to the pole.

  • authorize the navigators and passengers from the other boat coming next to go across his boat. When the motor boat gets ready to leave the port or to move into berth at the port, other motor-less boats shall not move across it from the back or the front, or go in back and forth between.

After knowledge of the berthing spot, the boat navioagtor shall also observe the rules of the port.

2.   When outside of the berthing port, motor or motor-less boats shall not drop their anchors in any location which may hinder the navigation.

      When all the passengers or goods have been transferred, the motor boat shall wait until all motor-less ferry boats and boats transporting goods have left their place, then it shall remove its anchors and leave the place.

3.   a)   It is prohibited to berth or to drop the anchor in the middle of the canal, under the bridge or near some other constructions, in every intersections of 3 branches of the river and in every section of the river curves, except only in special cases.

b)   It is prohibited to tie up the boat to the rails of the bridge or to the water partition, or to the navigation floating sign.

c)   It is prohibited to tie the boat with the cable at the bottom of the river.

d)   It is prohibited to anchor or birth within a distance of 50m from the cable attached to the bottom of the water level survey post.

 

CHAPTER III: LIGHT SIGNALS AND  NAVIGATIONAL SIGNS

I.    LIGHT SIGNALS FOR MOTOR OR MOTOR-LESS BOATS:

1.   From sunset until dawn, when the sky is foggy or there is heavy rain, all motor and motor-less boats navigating in the river access shall use the light signals according to each type of motor or motor-less boats as specified thereunder.

Motor or motor-less boats which shall use light signals, are divided into 5 categories:

Category A:                        ships, motor boats (large or small) and tug boats

Category B:                        motor-less boats or barges with capacity over 25 tons

Category C:                        motor-less boats or barges with capacity equal or below 25 tons

Category D:                        raft with length over 25m and width above 5m

Category E:                        raft with length up to  25m and width up to 5 meters

Category A Motor Boats:

  • Each category (A) motor boat shall have a white light on the top of the mast located at the front part of the boat/ship, on the axial live of the boat/ship, at 3 meters and up from the water surface.

  • A light signal at each side of the roof, with the green light on the right side, and the red light on the left, but they shall be lower than the white light, at least 1/4 of the height of the white light from the water surface.

  • One white light at the back of the boat/ship.

Category  B Motor-Less Boats:

  • Shall have two roof lights:  the red light at the left side and the green light at the right side and a white light at the back.

Category  C  Motor-Less Boats:

  • One all directional white light located at least 2m above the roof of the boat or barge.

Category  D  Motor-Less Boats:

  • One red light in the middle of the raft at 1.50m high from the water level. Two white lights, one on top of the mast at the front, another one on top of the mast at the rear.

If the width of the raft is over 15 m, these 2 white lights shall be replaced by 4 white lights and place one at each of the 4 corners.

Category E  Motor-Less Boats:

  • Only one red light is placed in the middle of the raft.

2.  a)    All the above lights shall enable to see from afar during the night when the sky is clear.

  • The white lights of the category A motor boat/ships shall be adequate enough to be seen from 1,500m distance.

  • The color lights of the category A motor boats/ship shall be adequate enough to be seen from a distance of l,000m.

  • The white lights of the categories B, C, D, E motor-less boats shall be adequate enough to be seen from a distance of l,000m.

  • The color lights of the categories B, C,D, E motor-less boats shall be adequate enough to be seen from a distance of 900m.

b)  Angles of projection of the lights:

  • the white light on the top of the mast of the category A boats shall be 225 degree to the front.

  • the red lights of the categories A and B boats  shall be 2.30 degree to the front and to the left side.

  • The rear lights of the categories A and B boats shall be 135 degrees of the rear of the boats.

  • the green lights of the categories A and B boats  shall be 112.30 degrees to the front and to the right side.

  • the green and red lights shall have cover shields so that the red lights would not be seen from the left side and the green light would not be seen from the left side.

Apart from the light signal for the categories A and B boats indicated above, all other lights of the boats, including the lights put on for various constructions, shall be all directional (360 degrees) types of light.

3.   Light Signals for Tug Boats:

Every tug boat is required to have the light signal as follows:

  • Each tug boat with length up to l00m shall add another white light on the front mast in addition to the existing white light, so that there are two (2) white lights on the front mast.

  • Tug boats with length exceeding 100m shall add two more white lights on top of the mast, so that there are three (3) white lights on the top of the mast. The additional white lights shall be put on the top of the mast in the same manner as the existing one and shall be 1m apart from each other.

During daylight the white lights on the top of the mast shall be replaced by black wheel shape floating signal of 0,30m diameter.

Categories B and C boats towed by tug boat shall put a white light on their roofs and another white light at the back of the last boat.  

Categories C and D boats shall put their lights as what stated in the paragraph I above. Category E boats  shall replace their red light(s) with white light(s).

5.   If categories A and B motor boats  are tugged to the sides of the tug boat, the last boat shall put a white light at the side and another white light at the back. The boats which are in between are not required to put any light on it. The tug boat shall put on all sorts of light signals as required for navigation. If the motor-less boat at the last end is of categories C or E, it shall turn on the lights when it is navigating by itself and the boats which are in between are not required to put any light on it.

      If the raft is of category E, there shall be a red light in the middle and two other white lights on the side, i.e. one at the front corner and another at the back corner.

6.   For small motor-less boat tugged behind, there shall be a white light above its roof of at least 1,50m high.

      For tug-boat pulling only one boat (motor-less) behind and no person is on board, and when the distance from the rear of such boat to the back of the tug boat does not exceed 6 (six) meters, no light is required.

7.   When for some reasons the category A motor boat can not go forward by itself, it shall put a red light high above its roof during the night, and when such boat is going with great speed, it shall turn on all the lights on the roof. During daytime, the red lights shall be replaced with black wheeled shaped floating signs of 0.30m diameter.