APPENDIX XXI. OPERATING RULES AND NAVIGATION CHARGES OF THE SUEZ MARITIME CANAL, JANUARY, 1913. [Extract from the act of concession dated 5th January, 1856.] ARTICLE 14. "We hereby solemnly declare for ourselves, and for our successors under reserve of ratification by H. I. M. the Sultan, the great maritime canal from Suez to Pelusium and ports belonging to it henceforth and forever open, as neutral passages to any merchant vessel crossing from sea to sea without any distinction, exclusion, or preference whatever for persons or nationalities, against the payment of dues and execution of regulations established by the said universal company grantee for the working of the said canal and its dependencies. ARTICLE 17. "To indemnify the company for the expenses of construction, maintenance, and working devolving upon them by these presents, we authorize the company henceforth, and during the whole term of their lease as determined by clauses 1 and 3 of the preceding article, to establish and levy for the passage through the canals and ports thereunto appertaining navigation, pilotage, towage, tracking, or berthing dues according to tariffs which they shall be at liberty to modify at all times upon the following express conditions: "1st. That these dues be collected without exception or favor from all ships under like conditions. "2nd. That the tariffs be published three months before they come into force, in the capitals and principal commercial ports of all nations whom they may concern. "3rd. That for the special navigation due the maximum toll shall not exceed 10 francs per ton of capacity on vessels and per head of passenger." RULES OF NAVIGATION. GENERAL. ARTICLE 1. OBLIGATION TO COMPLY WITH THE REGULATIONS. SECTION 1. Transit through the Suez Canal is open to ships of all nations, subject to their complying with the conditions hereinafter stated. On receiving a copy of these regulations, captains of ships bind themselves to abide by and conform with them in all points, to comply with any requisition made in view of their due carrying out, and obey all signals prescribed in the special book of signals, of which a copy is placed at their disposal.1 SEC. 2. Mail steamers, ships carrying petroleum in bulk, or notified as having explosives on board, and ships under quarantine, must show the signals prescribed in the special book of signals.1 SEC. 3. Ships carrying petroleum in bulk must comply with these regulations and also with special regulations, a copy of which is given to captains on their arrival in one of the canal ports. SEC. 4. The navigation of undecked vessels is governed by special regulations, a copy of which is handed to the masters before entering the canal. 61861°-13- 33 1 See page 514 for the particulars of roads and harbor pilot signals. 505 The maximum draft of water authorized is at present 8 meters 53 centimeters (28 feet English). Ships are not permitted to transit until it has been ascertained by the company's officials that their draft of water does not exceed the maximum and that they are well found in every respect for navigation in the canal. ARTICLE 3. THE RESPONSIBILITY OF CAPTAINS. THE PILOT'S FUNCTIONS. All ships measuring more than 100 tons gross must take, either for entering or leaving the harbors of Port Said and Port Thewfik, or for transit through the canal, a pilot of the company, who will furnish all particulars as to the course to be steered. Captains are held responsible for all groundings or accidents of whatsoever kind resulting from the navigating or handling of their ships by day or by night. The pilots place at the disposal of the captains their experience and practical knowledge of the canal, but as they can not be acquainted with the defects and peculiarities of individual steamers and their machinery whether in navigating, stopping, steering, etc., the responsibility of handling the ship devolves solely upon the captain. The functions of pilots commence, or cease, at the exterior buoys of Port Said and Port Thewfik Harbors. ARTICLE 4. MAIL SHIPS. DISTINCTIVE CHARACTER. Mail steamers are all steamers performing a regular mail service under contract with a Government, at fixed dates appointed in advance. The contract must have been duly exhibited to the company by the owners. Ships are considered as being in ballast when they carry no passengers, no mails, and do not carry either coals or merchandise of any description in whatever quantity, except bunker coal or fuel. In order to be entitled to claim the ballast rate,1 the volume of the bunker coal or fuel must not exceed in volume the allowance specified on the special certificate as the deduction for bunker space.2 TONNAGE AND DUES. ARTICLE 6. SUEZ CANAL TONNAGE. SECTION 1. The tonnage on which all dues and charges to be paid by ships, as specified in these regulations, are assessed, is the net tonnage resulting from the system of measurement laid down by the International Commission held at Constantinople in 1873,3 and duly entered on the special certificates issued by the competent authorities in each country. 1 See art. 7. 2 See arts. 16 and 17 of the regulations for the measurement of tonnage. Bunker coal or fuel should, primarily, be contained in the ship's fixed or movable bunkers. It may, in certain cases, on application by the captain, be stowed on deck or in the ship's holds, provided the total quantity carried can be easily ascertained. See Appendix XII, pp. 411-412. Regulations for the Measurement of Tonnage.-Additional deductions allowed by the Suez Canal Company and rules for the measurement of deck spaces. In assessing the dues, any alteration of net tonnage subsequent to the delivery of the above-mentioned certificates is taken into account. SEC. 2. The company's officials are empowered to ascertain whether cargo or passengers are carried in any space not included in the net tonnage entered on the ship's special certificate; and, generally may verify whether all spaces which ought to be included in the tonnage are entered on the certificate and are correctly determined therein. SEC. 3. Every ship not provided with the special certificate showing the net tonnage prescribed by the Constantinople Commission, is measured by the company's officials in conformity with the rules laid down by the Constantinople Commission. The net tonnage thus arrived at is provisionally availed of for the assessing of the dues until such time as the ship tenders a special certificate duly drawn up by the competent authorities. ARTICLE 7. TRANSIT DUES. SECTION 1. The rate of tonnage dues is, at present, 6 francs 25 centimes per ton. SEC. 2. Ships in ballast are allowed a reduction of 2 francs 50 centimes per ton on the full rate.1 ARTICLE 8. PASSENGER DUES. SECTION 1. In addition to the tonnage dues mentioned in article 7, transit dues are charged on all passengers at the rate of 10 francs per passenger above 12 years of age, and 5 francs per passenger between 3 and 12. Children under 3 years of age pay no dues. SEC. 2. Sailors occasionally taken on board of ships passing through the Suez Canal are considered as passengers and are charged for as such, unless they are duly entered on the ship's muster roll and certified as being intended for ships belonging to the same owners. ARTICLE 9. BERTHING DUES. The rate of berthing dues at Port Said, Ismailia and off the company's embankment at Port Thewfik, is 2 centimes per ton, per day, whatever be the duration of the ship's stay, but the first 24 hours are not included. These dues are payable every 10 days. ARTICLE 10. PILOTAGE DUES. Pilotage in the canal itself is free of charge. The payment of dues for pilotage in or out of Port Said is compulsory on all ships above 100 tons gross measurement.2 Pilotage in or out of the harbor is charged for as follows: 1. For ships not going through the canal: By day, steamers, 25 francs; sailing vessels, 10 francs. By night (between sunset and sunrise), steamers, 50 francs; sailing vessels, 20 francs. 2. For ships going through the canal: By day, free. By night, steamers, 25 francs; sailing vessels, 10 francs. Pilotage in or out of Port Thewfik, whether by day or by night, is not charged for. When the pilot is kept on board beyond the time required for pilotage proper, a charge of 20 francs per day is due. |