Why does maritime law prevent lighted ships?
April 12, 2009 5:03 PM   Subscribe

Does maritime law require that ships under way do so under running lights only? Why?

In a NYT article about the recent Somalian piracy incident, I read the following statement:

"Maritime law requires that ships under way do so under running lights only — they cannot light up the decks unless they are at anchor."

This was offered as an explanation of why ships cannot move about while lit up with floodlights to inhibit pirate attacks. Is this true? Why would this be the case?
posted by mccxxiii to Travel & Transportation (5 answers total)
 
Apparently the running lights give important information about the ship's size and direction and help avoid collisions. I'm guessing that lighting up the deck makes it hard to see these navigation lights. More here.
posted by HiddenInput at 5:16 PM on April 12, 2009


Yeah, the running lights don't just say "ship over here"; they tell mariners what kind of ship, whether it's heading towards or away and which direction, and broadly what it's doing (e.g. a trawler with nets out will have a white masthead light above a green light over a white light). It would be very difficult to read those if there were white lights random spread around at deck level as well.
posted by nicwolff at 6:04 PM on April 12, 2009


An over lit vessel will also blind the helmsman (driver) as well as any other crewmen keeping watch. Dim red lamps are use for reading charts at night and electronic instruments have a night setting, to maintain night vision.
posted by sammyo at 6:28 PM on April 12, 2009


Roger on all of the above.
posted by patnok at 6:38 PM on April 12, 2009


It's all about night vision. Both the crew on the boat and on any other boats nearby. Any ambient lighting will kill their night vision. They won't be able to see well enough to keep a safe watch.

And what makes you think floodlights would do anything whatsoever to inhibit piracy? Now, a couple of scattering lasers to blind the approaching pirates....
posted by wkearney99 at 6:39 PM on April 12, 2009


« Older So the first wedding of my mid-20's is coming up...   |   My ExpressCard slot is too wide. Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.