Commercial Vessel Nav Lights

rgsmg53

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The cruise ship Marco Polo quietly slipped out of Avonmouth last night en route, I believe, to the breakers .

When she passed me, she was showing an all round red light atop the mast well above the forward steaming light. Does anyone know what this signifies on a (presumably) empty cruise ship? If she was a tanker, I could understand and I doubt she was 'engaged in fishing'!

Any thoughts anyone?
 

rgsmg53

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Yes but there was no all round white above the red and all the times when she's gone past in service (presumably with a pilot aboard) she has never shown the all round red.

Thinking about it, doesn't all round white above red signify 'vessel engaged in pilot operations' eg a pilot cutter?
 

PilotWolf

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Could have just been forgotten after bunkering.

Or they have a dangerous cargo aboard.

It also seems to be a status symbol here in the US to have one on your mast - the higher the better... totally in breach of IRPCS but then I’ve got the feeling a lot of boaters here have never heard of them anyway.

PW
 

rgsmg53

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Could have just been forgotten after bunkering.

Or they have a dangerous cargo aboard.

It also seems to be a status symbol here in the US to have one on your mast - the higher the better... totally in breach of IRPCS but then I’ve got the feeling a lot of boaters here have never heard of them anyway.

PW
Forgotten after bunkering certainly could be an explanation as she'd been languishing in Avonmouth since start of Lockdown I during which time Cruise & Maritime went bust.
 
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