Article 6.28 - Passage through locks

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1. Vessels approaching lock basins shall reduce speed. If they cannot or do not wish to enter the lock immediately, and if a board bearing the sign B.5 (annex 7) is placed on the bank, they shall stop short of that board.

2. In lock basins and locks, vessels equipped with a radiotelephone permitting communication on the nautical information network shall listen on the channel allotted to the lock.

3. Passage through locks shall be in the order of arrival in the lock basins. Small craft shall not be entitled to demand separate locking. They shall not enter the lock until invited to do so by the lock staff. Furthermore, when small craft are passing through at the same time as other vessels, they shall enter the lock only after the latter.

4. Overtaking in or near locks, and especially in lock basins, is prohibited.

5. In locks, anchors shall be in the fully raised position; the same shall apply in lock basins, unless the anchors are in use.

6. On entering locks, vessels shall reduce speed so as to avoid bumping against the gates or protective devices or against other vessels, assemblies of floating material or floating establishments.

7. In locks:

(a) If limits are marked on the side-walls, vessels shall keep within those limits;

(b) While the lock is being filled or emptied and until they are allowed to leave, vessels shall be made fast and the mooring ropes shall be so handled as to prevent bumping against the walls, gates or protective devices or against other vessels or assemblies of floating material;

(c) Fendering devices shall be used. If they are not part of the vessel, the fenders shall be floating;

(d) It is prohibited for vessels and assemblies of floating material to discharge or run off water onto the copings or onto other vessels or assemblies of floating material;

(e) The use of mechanical means of propulsion is prohibited from the time the vessel is made fast until it is allowed to leave;

(f) Small craft shall keep away from other vessels.

8. In locks and lock basins it is obligatory to keep a minimum lateral distance of 10 m from the vessels or convoys carrying the marking referred to in article 3.14, paragraph 1. However, this obligation shall not apply to vessels and convoys also showing this marking nor to the vessels referred to in article 3.14, paragraph 7.

9. Vessels and convoys showing the marking referred to in article 3.14, paragraphs 2 or 3, shall be locked separately.

This provision shall not apply to dry cargo vessels as defined in ADN which carry only containers, intermediate bulk containers (IBCs), large packagings, multiple element gas containers (MEGCs), portable tanks and tank-containers as mentioned in ADN 7.1.1.18, and showing the marking referred to in article 3.14, paragraph 2. These may pass through locks with dry cargo vessels which carry only containers, intermediate bulk containers (IBCs), large packagings, multiple element gas containers (MEGCs), portable tanks and tank-containers as mentioned in ADN 7.1.1.18, and showing the marking referred to in article 3.14, paragraph 1, or with the vessels referred to in article 3.14, paragraph 7. There shall be a minimum distance of 10 m between the bow and the stern of vessels passing through locks together.

10. Vessels and convoys showing the marking referred to in article 3.14, paragraph 1 shall not be locked with passenger vessels.

11. On approaching the lock basin and on entering and leaving a lock, high-speed vessels shall move at a speed that will preclude any damage to the locks, to vessels or to assemblies of floating material and that will not cause any danger for the persons on board.

12. In order to ensure safe and orderly navigation, quick passage through locks or their full use, the lock staff may give instructions supplementing or departing from the provisions of this article. Vessels in locks and lock basins shall comply with such instructions.

13. The provisions of this article also apply to any other types of crossings such as ship lifts and inclined planes.