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BRITISH INDIA STEAM NAVIGATION CO., LTD.

REGULATIONS and INSTRUCTIONS
1966

COMPANY'S SERVICE REGULATIONS
GENERAL

1.  These Regulations and Instructions have been drawn up for the guidance and assistance of all Commanders and Officers of the Fleet. They are designed to lay down the broad basic policies of the Company with a view to making the operation of Company's services and Ships as efficient as possible. All Officers are required to study these Regulations and Instructions and ensure that they are complied with.

2.  THE SAFETY OF THE SHIP AND THE SAFETY OF THE LIVES ON BOARD IS THE FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION, TAKING PRECEDENCE OVER ALL OTHERS. THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE MUST ALWAYS BE GIVEN TO ALERTNESS IN ANTICIPATING POTENTIAL DANGER IN AMPLE TIME, ESPECIALLY IN PILOTAGE AND CONFINED WATERS AND IN CONDITIONS OF POOR VISIBILITY. WHERE ANY DOUBT EXISTS, SPEED MUST BE REDUCED AND, IF NECESSARY, THE SHIP MUST BE  STOPPED AND THE APPROPRIATE SOUND AND/OR VISUAL SIGNALS MADE. THE DICTATES OF PRUDENT SEAMANSHIP SHOULD TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER ALL MATTERS SUCH AS PROGRAMME TIMINGS OR CONVENIENCE OF OPERATION.

3.  The Regulations and Instructions do not and cannot cover every contingency. They are, and will continue to be, supplemented by separate instructions issued by the Company from time to time to, bearing specifically on individual problems. many problems will still, however, remain to be solved by exercise of commonsense and prudent seamanship. Compliance with the Regulations and Instructions does not relieve any Commander or Officer of his responsibility for the safety of the ship or those onboard. If in a particular situation it is considered that a Regulation should be disregarded, action should be taken accordingly. Whenever any of the Company's Regulations have been disregarded, this fact, and the reason for doing so, should be recorded in the Log. Head Office and the Base Port should also be advised.

4.  Strict attention is to be paid to the requirements of, and the guidance given by, Board of Trade Publications, M. Notices, etc., issued from time to time. It is the responsibility of the Commander to ensure that all such publications and notices are obtained and that copies of those which concern the Engineroom Department are supplied to the Chief Engineer Officer.

5.  The Company's ships, being registered in the United Kingdom, are require, irrespective of where they are operating, to adhere to British Government Regulations. They are also required, however, to adhere to the Regulations of the country in whose waters they may be operating from time to time. If there is any conflict between the two sets of regulations, the Agents on the spot should be consulted.

6.  The instructions embodied in the Company's "  Instructions for Repairs, Survey, and Supply of Stores ", " Fleet Orders ", and Personnel Manuals (Officers and Crew) are to be considered as an integral part of these Regulations.

7.  While Officers in ships employed in cruising are governed by the Regulations and Instructions set out in this book, the responsibilities and duties of individual Officers in cruising ships are detailed more fully in separate "Standing Cruising Instructions" which carry the same weight as if embodied in this book.

8.  The Commander is authorised to make such rules relative to the management of the ship as he may consider necessary, provided they are in the spirit of these regulations.

9.  All lawful orders issued by the Commander are to be obeyed forthwith. Should anyone feel aggrieved by an order or consider that it is contrary to the spirit of these Regulations, he may, after obeying it, submit his report through the Commander, who must forward it to Head Office with any comments he may consider necessary.

10. Should the Commander be incapacitated or absent the Staff Commander, if carried, failing which the Chief Officer, will take charge. If neither Staff Commander nor Chief Officer are on board, the next Senior Certified Deck Officer will take charge. The fact is to be recorded in the Log Book and Head Office and the Base Port are to be immediately advised.

11. The Company expects all Officers in the various departments to behave towards each other with civility and courtesy and to co-operate fully with each other to promote good feeling and harmonious and efficient working on board. Any departure from a strict observance of this rule, in which the Commander and the senior Officers, particularly those in charge of departments, must set an example, will be viewed by the Company with the utmost disfavour.

12. The Company's uniform is always to be worn by all Officers and Ratings when on duty in strict accordance with the " Uniform Regulations " issued separately.

13. A vigilant look-out is to be kept at all times. When at sea the vessel is never to be without an Officer of the Watch, stationed on the Bridge. When the Officer of the Watch has to attend to other navigational duties he will always ensure that a Bridge look-out is posted, either a Cadet or a Rating.
When in port, the vessel is never to be without an Officer in charge of the Deck.
Watches will be regulated by the Commander.

14. No ship when working cargo is to be left in charge of an Officer junior to a certificated Third Officer.

15. In port, fire water is to be available at all times, and sanitary water as local port regulations permit.

16. The Company lays great importance on the training of Cadets.
Such training is to be given in accordance with separate orders issued for the Cadet ships and for general service ships, and in conformity with the procedure laid down by the Merchant Navy Training Board.

17. Every day, while in port, the Company's vessels will fly the British Ensign at the stern, the Company's House Flag at the main, a small sized House Flag at the stem and the appropriate Courtesy Ensign at the foremast head. To ensure that all vessels hoist and strike their Flags simultaneously when there is more than one ship in port, the senior Commander will call attention by hoisting the Numeral " 5 " pennant at five minutes before 0800 hours and five minutes before sun-set. The hauling down of the pennant will be the signal for all vessels to hoist or haul down their Flags.
At sea, whilst in Territorial Waters, the Courtesy Ensign will be flown at the foremast head, together with the British Ensign either at the gaff or the ensign staff.

18. On Christmas Day, New Year's Day and on the Sovereign's Birthday, Company's vessels will " dress ship ". When the Company wishes vessels to be dressed on other occasions or flags to be half-masted, orders will be issued.

19. The " Blue Peter " is to be hoisted the day before sailing and hauled down when the ship is under way, unless this conflicts with any local regulation.

20. Every courtesy is to he shown, and assistance given, to the various Authorities and individuals who may have dealings with the vessel (e.g., Port, Customs and Dock Safety Officials, Shipping Masters, Government and Lloyds Surveyors, etc.) in the discharge of their duties.

21. Employees must acquaint themselves with Customs Regulations of each port and avoid infringement. They must declare all private dutiable articles, such as sextants, cameras, binoculars, radios, record players, firearms, tobacco, liquor, etc., for entry in the appropriate Customs documents as required by local regulations. (See also Reg. 114b).

22. Customs Authorities may prosecute the Commander and/or other members of the ship's company, and/or penalise the Company severely in the event of a case of smuggling being detected on board. It is, therefore, essential that frequent and thorough searches he made throughout the ship including crew's quarters, the engineroom, etc. Crews are to be mustered periodically and warned against smuggling and of the penalty thereof, which will he dismissal from the Company's Service. These searches and musters will he recorded in the Log Book.

23. Customs Officers are to be given every assistance in carrying out their duties whilst searching for contraband, during which operation they are normally to be accompanied by an Officer deputed for that purpose. They must not, however, be allowed to touch or handle sea connections, steam valves, side scuttles, engine parts or lifeboat and liferaft equipment except in the presence and under the guidance of such an Officer.

24. Company's employees are not allowed to engage in trade on the Company's ships.

25. No liquor except that provided by the Company is to be consumed on board by employees. They are forbidden to bring on board any private supplies of their own, except with the express permission of the Commander.

26. Employees are forbidden to have on board pet birds or animals, except with the express permission of the Commander.

27. The use of private firearms on board Company's ships is strictly forbidden.

28. Employees are forbidden to receive any favour package or animal for carriage by any of the Company's ships without the authority of the Agents.

29. On no account will any of the Company's employees accept any gratuity from Workshops, Yards, Contractors, Suppliers or any other body or individual connected with the working of the ship.
It is the duty of all employees to report, through the Commander, to the Base Port and Agents at the port concerned should any gratuity be offered to them.

30. The Company cannot make any compensation for the loss or theft of or damage to personal effects of employees - except as proscribed by National Maritime Board Agreement - and Officers are, therefore, recommended to cover their effects by appropriate insurance policies.

31. All Fleet Orders, Notifications, and other instructions issued by the Company must he closely studied and carefully filed.
On being relieved, the Commander, the Chief Engineer Officer, the Chief Officer, and the Purser will hand over their flies to the relieving Officers.

32. Only the Company's stationery is to be used in connection with ship's business. The printed instructions on ship's forms are to be adhered to.

33. The use of rubber stamps for signing letters, receipts or other documents is prohibited. Signatures are to be in ink, or in exceptional circumstances in indelible pencil, and a line is to be drawn from the last writing on the receipt or document to the signature in order to prevent the possibility of fraudulent additions.

34. Employees must address all correspondence through the Commander to Head Office or the Agents, as the case may be, and not to individuals.

35. The P.& 0. and B.I. Companies' interests are identical. In the event of vessels of either Company requiring assistance of any description, or if information of a useful nature can be communicated, such assistance and information is to be given freely. Signals are to he exchanged between vessels of both Companies when passing at sea.

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