AIS, what is a passenger carrying vessel?

[Alcyone]

started reading up on AIS the other day and I mentioned it to a friend of mine who runs boat trips around the islands in Pembrokeshire. It seems that these vessels, RIBs and other boats carrying up to maybe 40 people, don't carry AIS. Are these not passenger carrying vessels? I've tried to Google it for more detail, but can't find a detailed definition.

 

[Habebty]

Is AIS only compulsory for vessels over 300t??

 

[lenseman]

I would suspect that if the 'passengers' pay for the ride, whether it be on a RIB or an ocean going liner, then in law they are passengers in the truest sense of the word especially if they do not do any work (as in chartering).

You might like to try contacting the RYA for a more definitive answer.

 

[Alcyone]

Over 300 Tonnes, or passenger carrying.

I agree, to me, if they are fare paying passengers, whether they are on the boat for 10 mins, 1 day or a week, it would seem to be 'passenger carrying'. I will get in touch with the rya. Interesting thing is, to my knowledge, all of the boats in the area have regular MCA checks, and yet none of them seem to have ais fitted.

 

[Ballistix]

I thought it was any passenger vessal with over 12 people on it of a commercial basis...maybe wrong!
T

 

[lenseman]

Follow up link:

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/shippingports/ports/modern/ais/ukgovernmentstrategyforais?page=1

As it states at the end in Indices 1: "Passenger ships irrespective of size"

But any good brief could successfully argue that a 'RIB' is, in law. not a 'ship'.

 

[Alcyone]

Yes, maybe, but where we dive there are quite a few different types of boat, converted fishing vessels, jet boats, RIBS, etc, all taking people around the islands to look at wildlife etc on a paying basis.

There are also 2 RIBS doing similar trips from Cardiff bay. OK, not hard to miss, big, yellow, noisy and fast, but I am interested as to whether they would have it installed also.

I suspect maybe not.

 

[boatmike]

Not wrong.....!

 

[cliffordpope]

There's a recent case. Non-paying passengers gave the skipper a sandwich, = payment in kind = passengers = need licence.