6.8 The extent of a traffic separation scheme should be limited
to what is essential in the interests of safe navigation.
6.9 Traffic lanes should be designed to make optimum use of
available depths of water and the safe navigable areas taking into account the maximum
depth of water attainable along the length of the route. The width of lanes should take
account of the traffic density, the general usage of the area and the sea-room available.
6.10 Where there is sufficient space, separation zones should be
used in preference to separation lines to separate opposing streams of traffic and to
segregate inshore traffic zones from adjacent traffic lanes. Separation zones or lines may
also be used to separate a traffic lane from adjacent sea areas other than inshore traffic
zones, in appropriate circumstances, taking into account traffic density and the available
means of fixing ships' positions.
"6.11 Position fixing
6.11.1 It should be possible for ships to fix their position
anywhere within the limits of and in the immediate approaches to a traffic separation
scheme by one or more of the following means, both by day and by night:
.1 visual bearing of readily identifiable objects;
.2 radar bearings and ranges of readily identifiable objects;
.3 D/F bearings;
.4 other radionavigation equipment suitable for use throughout
the intended voyage.
6.11.2 The position fixing of ships may be supplemented or
substituted by shore-based radar and radio direction finder systems to assist ships which
have difficulty to establish their position accurately with the means prescribed under
6.11.1. Such shore-based systems should be approved by IMO before they are recognized as a
position fixing system for supporting the safety of navigation in or near traffic
separation schemes."
6.12 When it is considered essential to provide within a traffic
separation scheme an additional lane for ships carrying hazardous liquid substances in
bulk, as specified in the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from
Ships, 1973, in circumstances where it is not possible for ships to fix their position as
set out in paragraph 6.11 over the whole area of that lane and an electronic
position-fixing system covers that area, the existence of that system may be taken into
account when designing the scheme.
