Ship with red flashing light on masthead

[MoodySabre]

Juat looking out on the window (It's dark of course) and there'sa ship with a flashing red light at its masthead. Looking at AIS site this appears to be a tanker "LS Concorde - Hazard A (Major)", bound for Canvey Island. In 17 years of living here I have never seen that light before.

Ah, things have changed - it is not the tanker but a Dutch Tug M.P.R.1
Still don't know what the light means.

Wiki tells me
A wing-in-ground craft must also display a bright all-round flashing red light when taking off, landing, or flying near the surface.
Even more confused - this is NOT a plane.

 

[penfold]

I don't think it's part of the COLREGs, but depending on where you are it may be required while bunkering is in progress.

 

[MoodySabre]

It's in the middle of the Thames Estuary between Westcliff-on-Sea and All Hallows in Kent proceeding about 2 knots.
http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/showallphotos.aspx?imo=9586409

 

[DavidofMersea]

I am not sure what a "a wing-in-ground craft" is, could it be a hovercraft?

 

[penfold]

The russians call them Ekranoplan and built a few during the cold war; like hovercraft it's a solution that's mostly still looking for a problem.

 

[Sixpence]

Although it is not mentioned in these Rules, a common practice is for tankers to exhibit a single fixed or flashing, all round red light at the after masthead. This replaces the 'B' flag, to indicate they have a dangerous cargo. This light is in addition to the light of this Rule.

http://www.sailtrain.co.uk/Irpcs/rule20d.htm

Possibly ?

 

[Mariner69]

Red flashing light at the mast head is often used as an air hazard warning because of the height of the mast above the sea level.

Often used where helicopters are being used in the area.

It can also be required by the port authorities to signify a tanker moving, tanker stationary, tanker transferring hazardous materials..... the local rules will have it listed but, believe it or not, the vessel could also be obeying the rules that were extant at the last port of call.

 

[Cantata]

I am not sure what a "a wing-in-ground craft" is, could it be a hovercraft?

Here's one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYFEFekPzDM

 

[tillergirl]

Can't explain the flashing bit but these are the PLA regs on all round red lights.

PORT OF LONDON AUTHORITY - General Directions for Navigation in the Port of London 2011
10. DISPLAY OF A RED LIGHT BY SPECIFIED VESSELS
(1) On all Specified Vessels there shall, when in the Thames during the hours of darkness and in restricted visibility, be displayed a fixed all round red light,
which shall be above and clear of sidelights, at least 2 metres away from other navigation lights and positioned so as not to be confused with any other light.
(2) The red light shall be exhibited:
a) from sunset to sunrise; and
b) from sunrise to sunset in restricted visibility and in all other circumstances when it is deemed necessary.
(3) On all Specified Vessels there shall, when in the Thames during the hours of daylight, be conspicuously displayed the International Code of Signals flag ‘B’.

“Specified Vessel” means any vessel having on board (including in its slop tanks), quantities of the following (IMO codings in brackets):
i) Explosives (Class 1, excluding Class 1.4), in excess of 10kg Net Explosive Quantity;
ii) LNG in bulk, LPG in bulk or being non-gas free following discharge of these cargoes (Class 2);
iii) Flammable liquids and substances in bulk or being non-gas free following discharge of these cargoes (Class 3 of flashpoint <23° C);
and/or
iv) Toxic and corrosive substances in bulk or being non-gas free following discharge of these cargoes (Classes 6.1 and 8.0);

 

[Ianqv]

Oh wow.... it's the only thing I remember from my coastal skipper course (I knew it would come in handy!!) - Red flashing light (should) have been a hovercraft!!!

Don't ask me anything else....

Ian

 

[Pye_End]

Oh wow.... it's the only thing I remember from my coastal skipper course (I knew it would come in handy!!) - Red flashing light (should) have been a hovercraft!!!

Don't ask me anything else....

Ian

Hovercraft = yellow as far as I remember.

 

[Ianqv]

Just got the shapes and lights nav cards out..... (hmmm somewhat dusty!!) it says hovercraft - red flashing.
They are prob 15 years old, so I can't confirm if flashing yellow is also a hovercraft!!



Ian

 

[Wunja]

I saw a ship on the Maas at the start of the year with a flashing red light. It was flashing the Morse letter D.

International code of signals: D - Keep clear of me; I am maneuvering with difficulty

 

[Pye_End]

Curious. My flip cards of similar vintage (possibly bit older) show yellow, as does RYA Yachtmaster book.

3rd book, with the rules (dated 1990) - rule 23 (b) an air-cushion vessel.......all-round flashing yellow light.

Sounds as though you need to chuck that particular card away, or get the paint pot out

 

[Wunja]

All the Port of Rotterdam work boats have flashing orange lights. Very few (none) are hovercraft.

 

[Gwylan]

Vessels charging or discharging in Milford Haven display a red flashing light, I think. But that's local regulations.

 

[tillergirl]

PLA Rules again

31. HYDROFOILS AND VESSELS EXCEEDING A SPEED OF 12 KNOTS
31.1 Rule 23(b) of the International Collision Regulations (which requires an allround flashing yellow light to be exhibited in addition to the lights prescribed in Rule 23(a)), applies to:
a) a hydrofoil vessel underway;
b) any non-emergency service or non-regulatory vessel to which byelaw
16.3(a) applies, while that vessel exceeds a speed of 12 knots when navigating above the Margaretness limit;
c) any vessel to which byelaw 16.3(d) applies, while that vessel exceeds a speed of 12 knots when navigating above the Margaretness limit; and in
d) an air-cushion vessel operating in the non-displacement mode.

As we are starting to go through the spectrum who has blue lights? And it's not the cops because theirs are flashing.

 

[MoodySabre]

Flashing coppers - whatever next!

 

[Ianqv]

Curious. My flip cards of similar vintage (possibly bit older) show yellow, as does RYA Yachtmaster book.

3rd book, with the rules (dated 1990) - rule 23 (b) an air-cushion vessel.......all-round flashing yellow light.

Sounds as though you need to chuck that particular card away, or get the paint pot out

Perhaps your cards are older than mine and have faded!!

 

[tillergirl]

Come on chaps, in case you missed the question - what displays a blue light on the Thames