Carriage, Handling and Storage of Dangerous Goods along

86 RECOMMENDATIONS
3.3.3.4 Communication and Information
Target group: All barges
RECOMMENDATION
Member Countries should determine minimum safety requirements for communications
equipment onboard.
Challenge
Barges are not equipped with VHF equipment and communications and information exchange
depends on mobile phone use. Mobile phone use is, however, restricted and some necessary navigation
info is not shared with other waterway users.
References
• ISGINTT, Chapter 22.
ACTIONS
Technical and Management
The barge should be equipped with the necessary communications systems to contact other vessels,
terminals and ports. This means the installation of VHF equipment on the navigation bridge and the
provision of a set of walkie-talkies, intrinsically safe in case of a tanker barge.
The owner or operator should provide all necessary equipment to ensure the safe navigation and
cargo operations. This involves the provision of communications equipment and trained crew in the
use of this equipment.
The crew should be made aware of the importance of correct communications and information exchange.
All tankers at the terminal should be made aware of the local security, safety and pollution prevention
regulations together with other regulations relating to the safety of shipping, which the appropriate
port authority may issue. There should be an exchange of information before the tanker arrives at
the terminal, on a number of matters including security information and information required by
port and other authorities or the terminal.
Before berthing, there should information exchange between the tanker and the terminal and/or
pilot station.
Completion of safe and efficient cargo, ballast and bunkering operations depends on cooperation
and coordination between all parties involved. A lot of important information should be exchanged
including at what level of tank filling the operations should be stopped in order to prevent overflow
or exceeding MAWP.
A safety checklist prior to any cargo operation must be filled in and signed by each party.
To ensure the safe control of operations at all times, it should be the responsibility of parties, the
tanker barge and the terminal, to establish a reliable communications system. When portable
VHF systems are used, these should be intrinsically safe on the tanker barge and carried by the
crewmember on duty and the terminal representative. In cases where fixed systems are used, these
should be continuously manned.
Before cargo operations start, the communications system should be tested. A secondary system
should also be established with agreed signals "stand by", "start loading or discharging", "slow down",
"stop loading or discharging" and "emergency stop". Another problem exists in case the crew and the
terminal employees do not speak a common language, in which case a number of standard terms
and signals must be used and understood by both parties in order to avoid any misunderstanding.