SAFETY OF LIFE AT SEA C151 



{b) The selection of the routes and the initiation of action with regard to 

 them, and the delineation of what constitutes converging areas, is left to the 

 responsibility of the shipping companies concerned. The Contracting 

 Governments will assist the companies, when requested to do so, by placing 

 at their disposal any information bearing on the routes which may be in the 

 possession of the Governments. 



(c) The Contracting Governments undertake to impose on the companies 

 the obligations to give public notice of the regular routes which they propose 

 their ships should follow, and of any changes made in these routes. They 

 will also use their influence to induce the owners of all passenger ships 

 crossing the Atlantic to follow the recognised routes, and will do everything 

 in their power to ensure adherence to such routes in the converging areas 

 by all ships, so far as circumstances will permit. They will also induce 

 the owners of all ships crossing the Atlantic bound to or from ports of the 

 United States or Canada via the vicinity of the Grand Banks of Newfoundland 

 to avoid, as far as practicable, the fishing banks of Newfoundland north of 

 latitude 43 °N. during the fishing season, and to pass outside regions known 

 or believed to be endangered by ice. 



(d) The Government managing the ice patrol service is requested to report 

 to the Administration concerned any passenger ship which is observed not 

 to be on any regular, recognised or advertised route and any ship which crosses 

 the above mentioned fishing banks during the fishing season, or which when 

 proceeding to or from ports of the United States or Canada passes through 

 regions known or believed to be endangered by ice. 



Regulation 9 



Misuse of Distress Signals 



The use of an international distress signal, except for the purpose of 

 indicating that a ship or aircraft is in distress, and the use of any signal which 

 may be confused with an international distress signal, are prohibited on every 

 ship or aircraft. 



Regulation 10 



Distress Messages — Obligations and Procedures 



(a) The master of a ship at sea, on receiving a signal from any source that 

 a ship or aircraft or survival craft thereof is in distress, is bound to proceed 

 with all speed to the assistance of the persons in distress informing them if 

 possible that he is doing so. If he is unable or, in the special circumstances 

 lof the case, considers it unreasonable or unnecessary to proceed to their 

 assistance, he must enter in the logbook the reason for failing to proceed to 

 the assistance of the persons in distress. 



Ch. 5 



