Section 4 Lighting systems
Clasification Society 2024 - Version 9.40
Clasifications Register Rules and Regulations - Rules and Regulations for the Classification of Naval Ships, January 2023 - Volume 2 Machinery and Engineering Systems - Part 9 Electrotechnical Systems - Chapter 6 Lighting - Section 4 Lighting systems

Section 4 Lighting systems

4.1 Lighting - General

4.1.1 The lighting systems are to be arranged such that a single failure will not cause total loss of illumination in any attended compartment.

4.1.2 In the event of loss of main lighting, at locations where illumination must be maintained for operational purposes, transitional lighting shall be provided until the main lighting is restored or emergency lighting is operational. The transitional lighting is to be available for a period acceptable to the Naval Administration.

4.1.3 To meet operational requirements, lighting levels are to be controllable locally.

4.1.4 Lamp holders, lamps and light fittings are to be in accordance with IEC 60092-306, Electrical installations in ships – Part 306: Equipment – Luminaires and lighting accessories.

4.1.5 Fittings, reactors, capacitors and other auxiliaries are not to be mounted on surfaces which are subject to high temperatures. If mounted separately they are additionally to be enclosed in an earthed conductive casing.

4.1.6 Where capacitors of 0,5 microfarads and above are installed, means are to be provided to promptly discharge the capacitors on disconnection of the supply.

4.2 Discharge lighting

4.2.1 Discharge lamps operating in excess of 250 V are only acceptable as fixed fittings. Warning notices calling attention to the voltage are to be permanently displayed at points of access to the lamps and where otherwise necessary.

4.3 Lighting circuits

4.3.1 Lighting circuits are to be supplied by final sub-circuits separate from those for heating and power. This does not preclude the supply from a lighting circuit supplying a single fixed appliance, such as a cabin fan, a dry shaver, a wardrobe or anti-condensation heater, taking a maximum current of 2 A.

4.3.2 Lighting for the following spaces is to be supplied from at least two final sub-circuits in such a way that failure of one of the circuits does not leave the space in darkness. One of these circuits may be an emergency circuit provided it is normally energised.

  • Spaces that are required to be lit for the safe working of the ship, such as control stations, normal working spaces, etc.
  • Spaces where there may be a hazard due to movement of crew, embarked personnel and/or equipment, such as in corridors, working passage ways, stairways leading to boat decks, crew and embarked personnel rooms, etc.
  • Spaces where there may be a hazard due to moving machinery and hot parts, such as in machinery spaces, workshops, large galleys, laundries, etc.

4.3.3 Lighting for enclosed hazardous spaces is to be supplied from at least two final sub-circuits to permit light from one circuit to be retained while maintenance is carried out on the other. One of these circuits may be an emergency circuit, provided it is normally energised in which case the arrangements are to comply with Vol 2, Pt 9, Ch 2, 5 Emergency and alternative sources of electrical power.

4.3.4 Lighting of unattended spaces, such as store spaces, is to be controlled by multi-pole linked switches situated outside such spaces. Provision is to be made for the complete isolation of these circuits and locking the means of control in the off position.

4.3.5 For the design of lighting systems in magazines, weapon storage compartments and other dangerous spaces refer to Vol 1, Pt 4, Ch 1, 6.8 Piping, cabling and electrical systems and Vol 2, Pt 9, Ch 5, 4 Electrical equipment for use in explosive gas atmospheres or in the presence of combustible dusts

4.4 Emergency lighting

4.4.1 For the purpose of this section emergency lighting, contingency lighting, transitional emergency lighting and supplementary emergency lighting are hereafter referred to under the generic name ‘emergency lighting’.

4.4.2 A fire or other casualty in a space containing a source of electrical power associated transforming (or converting) equipment or switchboard serving lighting, is not to render inoperative both main lighting and emergency lighting.

4.4.3 The illuminance provided by any one lighting circuit is to be adequate to permit safe evacuation in an emergency, having regard to the possible presence of smoke, see Vol 2, Pt 9, Ch 2, 5.3 Starting arrangements

4.4.4 The exit(s) from every main compartment occupied by crew and embarked personnel is to be continuously illuminated by an emergency lighting fitting. These are to include, but are not limited to:
  • Accommodation spaces such as corridors, heads and bathrooms, cabins, offices, mess decks, hospitals, pantries containing no cooking appliances, and similar spaces;
  • Service spaces such as spaces used for galleys, pantries containing cooking appliances, lockers, mail and specie rooms, storerooms, workshops other than those forming part of the machinery spaces, and similar spaces and trunks to such spaces.

4.4.5 The requirements of Vol 2, Pt 9, Ch 6, 4.4 Emergency lighting 4.4.4 are subject to the darken ship requirements of the Naval Administration.

4.4.6 Switches are not to be installed in the final sub-circuits to emergency light fittings unless the light fittings are serving normally unmanned spaces, (e.g. storage-rooms, cold rooms, etc.), or they are normally required to be extinguished for operational reasons, e.g. for night visibility from the navigating bridge. Where switches are fitted they are to be accessible only to ship's crew and embarked personnel with provision made to ensure that the emergency lighting is energised when such spaces are manned and/or during emergency conditions. Where ‘darken ship’ requirements are specified, switches may be installed in the circuits to emergency light fittings (including transitional lighting) provided they are clearly identified.

4.4.7 Where emergency lighting fittings are connected to dimmers, provision is to be made, upon the loss of the main lighting, to automatically restore them to their normal level of illumination.

4.4.8 Fittings are to be specially marked to indicate that they form part of the emergency lighting system.

4.4.9 A means of illumination is to be provided in passageways and manned compartments for a period of at least four hours in the event of a failure of all main and emergency lighting. The provision of lanterns that operate automatically from a self contained power source on failure of the main and emergency lighting systems is the minimum acceptable arrangement.

4.5 Navigation lights

4.5.1 Navigation lights are to be connected separately to a distribution board reserved for this purpose only and accessible to the officer of the watch. This distribution board is to be connected to the emergency source of electrical power in compliance with, Vol 2, Pt 9, Ch 2, 5.2 Emergency source of electrical power 5.2.7.(c) and Vol 2, Pt 9, Ch 2, 5.2 Emergency source of electrical power 5.2.9. An alarm is to be activated in the event of failure of a power supply from the distribution board.

4.5.2 Each navigation light is to be controlled and protected in each insulated pole by a switch and fuse or circuit-breaker mounted on the distribution board.

4.5.3 Provision is to be made on the navigating bridge for the navigation lights to be transferred to an alternative circuit fed from the main source of electrical power. See also Vol 2, Pt 9, Ch 2, 5.1 General 5.1.4.

4.5.4 Each navigation light is to be provided with an automatic indicator giving audible and/or visual indication of failure of the light. If an audible device alone is fitted, it is to be connected to an independent source of supply, e.g. a battery, with means provided to test this supply. If a visual signal is used connected in series with the navigation light, means are to be provided to prevent extinction of the navigation light due to failure of the signal. The requirements of this paragraph do not apply to small vessels.

4.5.5 For navigation lights using light emitting diodes (consisting of multiple light sources) means to ensure that the overall luminous intensity of the navigation light is sufficient are to be provided in addition to the alarm to indicate the complete loss of the navigation light illumination required by Vol 2, Pt 9, Ch 6, 4.5 Navigation lights 4.5.4. For replacement navigation lights, see Vol 2, Pt 9, Ch 1, 1.7 Alterations and additions 1.7.7.

4.5.6 To satisfy Vol 2, Pt 9, Ch 6, 4.5 Navigation lights 4.5.5, an audible and visual alarm is to be activated to notify the bridge Officer of the Watch when the luminous intensity of the light reduces below the level required by the IMO Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea. Alternative measures to ensure continuing acceptable performance of navigation lights using light emitting diodes may be considered that are in accordance with:

  • IMO Res. MSC.253(83), Performance Standards for Navigation Lights, Navigation Light Controllers and associated Equipment, and
  • EN 14744, Inland navigation vessels and sea-going vessels – Navigation light, or a relevant National, International or Naval Standard.

Where alternative measures are proposed that require verification by personnel of the luminous intensity of navigation lights using light emitting diodes, details of the periodic inspection implementation and acceptance by the Naval Administration are to be submitted for consideration.

4.5.7 Navigation light power supply units installed to convert, control and/or monitor the distribution board power supply required by Vol 2, Pt 9, Ch 6, 4.5 Navigation lights 4.5.1 above for connection to the light source(s) (e.g. for LED type navigation lights) are, in the event of a short-circuit on the unit output, to disconnect or limit the supply to prevent further damage and activate an alarm.

4.5.8 Navigation light power supply units are to be self-monitoring, detecting failures of the unit itself and activating an alarm. These are to include:

4.5.9 The navigation light power supply failure alarms required by Vol 2, Pt 9, Ch 7, 4.7 Valve control and indication systems 4.7.1 are not to be displayed as a group alarm. Other navigation light alarms may be grouped for each navigation light where means are provided for personnel to determine the cause of the alarm. Activation of more than one of the navigation light alarms as a result of a single failure is to be prevented.

4.5.10 Specified requirements including the use of battery power navigation lights are to be complied with and may be accepted as an alternative to the above.

4.6 Escape route or low location lighting (LLL)

4.6.1 The escape route or low location lighting (LLL) required by the Naval Administration specified standard, where satisfied by electric illumination, is to comply with the requirements of this sub-Section.

4.6.2 The LLL system is to be provided with an emergency source of electrical power as required by Vol 2, Pt 9, Ch 2, 5.2 Emergency source of electrical power and also be connected to the main source of electrical power, with automatic changeover facilities located adjacent to the control panel, see also Vol 2, Pt 9, Ch 1, 2.5 Operation under fire conditions.

4.6.3 The power supply arrangements to the LLL are to be arranged so that a single fault or a fire in any one fire zone or deck does not result in loss of the lighting in any other zone or deck. This requirement may be satisfied by the power supply circuit configuration, use of fire-resistant cables complying with Vol 2, Pt 9, Ch 3, 8.5 Construction 8.5.3, and/or the provision of suitably located power supply units having integral batteries adequately rated to supply the connected LLL for a minimum period of 60 minutes.

4.6.4 The performance and installation of lights and lighting assemblies are to comply with ISO standard 15370: Ships and marine technology – Low location lighting on passenger ships.


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