Canada updates bridge visibility requirements

Transport Canada has issued a ship safety bulletin updating the Canadian bridge visibility requirements.

This bulletin was published on February 21st, 2023, updating bulletin No: 02/2020. Also, this Bulletin complements Bulletin 03/1992.

The reference to bridge visibility has been repealed under the Navigation
Safety Regulations and replaced by the new bridge visibility reference under section 140 of the consolidated Navigation Safety Regulations, 2020.

The purpose of this document is to clarify the Canadian bridge visibility requirements in reference to section 140 of the Navigation Safety Regulations, 2020, and Regulation 22 of Chapter V of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea,1974, (SOLAS) as amended.

What you need to know

Despite the provisions listed in Regulation 3.2 of Chapter V of the SOLAS Convention regarding exemptions and equivalencies, vessels that do not meet the above-referenced bridge visibility requirements will not be authorized to navigate on the St. Lawrence River upstream of Les Escoumins Pilot Station, in the province of Quebec.

This instruction is based on recent evaluations, in which it was determined by Transport Canada, Marine Safety and Security, and the Pilotage Authorities, that some deck cargo did not comply with the visibility areas prescribed under Regulation 22 of Chapter V, and that this is unsafe.

Reduced visibility from the bridge poses a high risk to the safety of navigation upstream of Les Escoumins, particularly when considering the following factors:

Obscure area
Reciprocal courses
Traffic and narrow channels
Bridges, lock structures, where applicable

Consequently, all vessels that have reduced bridge visibility and do not comply with the above-noted requirements will not be authorized to navigate in pilotage waters upstream of Les Escoumins until it has been demonstrated to Transport Canada, Marine Safety, and Security that the regulatory requirements have been met.