Coast Guard of Genova*)
Technical Dept.

Ordinance N° 18/99

WARNING
This ordinance has been modified by the Ordinance 183/2003.
The corrections have been highlighted with text in RED while the additions with text in YELLOW.

The Chief of the Marine District and Commander of Genova Harbour:

CONSIDERED: the Act 11.02.1971, n° 50 and following modifications, under the title of "Norms about the Private Navigation";
CONSIDERED: the strong increase of scuba diving activities within the Marine District of Genova, showing intense private navigation traffic;
CONSIDERED: that the main scuba diving activities are performed in organized forms and with assisting naval units;
IN CONSIDERATION OF THE NEED: of establishing useful and needed prescriptions for the maintenance of the public safety, without placing any obstacles to further competent authorities;
CONSIDERED: the Act 14.7.1965, n. 963 about the rules for Sea Fishing and the Regulation to its appliance, approved with DPR n° 1639 dated 2.10.1968:
CONSIDERED the need to better discipline and integrate the regulations of the ordinance n.229/98 dated July 18th 1998 after the experience gathered during the period of time of its validity;
CONSIDERED: the Articles 17, 30, 68 & 21 of the Navigation Act and the Article 59 of the related Regulations (maritimal section) as well;

STATES

PART A - SCUBA DIVES WITH ASSISTANCE OF NAVAL UNITS

ARTICLE A.1
Within the waters of the Marine Disctrict of Genova the performing of organized scuba diving activities (guided dives) for touristic/recreational purposes that occurs with supporting naval units, is uniquely allowed to Societies/Sport Clubs/Associations/Enterprises that expressively foresee such activities within their internal Rules or Statute and is subordinated to compliance with the prescriptions following here below.

ARTICLE A.2
The safety equipment required by the current safety norms applied in accordance with the kind of naval unit and navigation performed, must be at least integrated by following ones:

- Terapeutic Oxigen Suppy Device in continuous flow, with at least a seven Liter cylinder, or a three Liter cylinder if this is provided with regulator with flux on   demand or similar other patented devices.
- Communication Device that can assure the contact with the Rescue Centers (provided with backup batteries or with plug for the continuous recharge of the battery   on   board);
- table showing the tel. numbers and/or the Radio hearing frequencies of the main Rescue Centers (Maritime Authorities; Hospitals, Ligurian Emergency   Rescue,   Compression Chamber Centers etc..) in compliance with attachment A;
- Rescue Bag;
- at least one backup cylinder provided with double regulator or with devices for air flow from surface which have to be positioned, during the whole diving   time, at a depth between 10 fsw/3 m. and 16 fsw/5m, anyway under discretional decision of the responsible of the naval unit, and in order to guarantee the   necessary safety conditions.

ARTICLE A.3
Before leaving, the person responsible for the naval unit must write down on the related table the list of any participants to the dive, indicating the owned certifications, and the names of the diving guides, if present.

ARTICLE A.4
The diving guide must be owner of a recognized certification.
This must be released by one of the national or international widely acknowledged Federations/Enterprises/Associations, and he must operate within the limits that are fixed by his own certification, by assuming all civil and penal responsibilities related to the performed activity.
Every guide may not be leading more than five divers at the same time during the dive sessions and he must comply with the depth range limits established by their own certifications; in case of certifications of different degree the depth limit which is foreseen by the lowest degree must be observed.

ARTICLE A.5
In case of dives with anchored support unit, the anchoring must be performed in such a way the this can be easily released during emergency; under these circumstances the anchoring point must be indicated on surface by means of a floating buoy (...).

ARTICLE A.6
During the dive the naval unit must be constantly occupied by a person able to handling it and to make emergency calls in case of need.

ARTICLE A.7
Beside the prescribed signals, if these are foreseen depending on the lenght, the unit must also show:
during daylight:

- in national waters ared flag with diagonal white stripe;
- during daylight, and in addition to the signals as above, the Association/Enterprise/Society/Sport Club may make use of a signaling diver balloon which is   anchored  on the area where the dive is performed (red diver balloon with red flag and white diagonal stripe placed on the top);

during night:
- a blinking yellow light, visible all around and placed at a distance of not less than 300 m.

All underwater operators must remain in any case within 50 m distance from the signal described above (flag on boat, regular balloon).

ARTICLE A.8
In case of dives organized by Associations/Enterprises/Societies/Sport Clubs in order to perform diving training for releasing dive certifications, the divers will have to comply with the regulations stated by these nationally or internationally recognized Associations/Enterprises/Societies/Sport Clubs.
For such dives the organizational unit will have to transmit to the Coast Guard of Genova - Operative Dept. within at least 12 hrs from the dive, a declaration (see attachment B) by fax indicating:

- date, time and location of the dive;
- number of participants;
- name of the instructor responsible and of the assistants, if needed;
- naval unit engaged;
- operative organization.

PART B- SCUBA DIVES WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE OF NAVAL UNITS

ARTICLE B.l
Within the waters of the Marine Disctrict of Genova the performing of organized scuba diving activities (guided dives) for touristic/recreational purposes that occurs without supporting naval units, is uniquely allowed to Societies/Sport Clubs/Associations/Enterprises that expressively foresee such activities within their internal Rulement or Statute and is subordinated to the compliance with the prescriptions following here below.

ARTICLE B.2
During the dive following safety equipment must be always available:

- Terapeutic Oxigen Suppy Device in continuous flow, with at least a seven Liter cylinder, or a three Liter cylinder if this is provided with regulator with flux on   demand or similar other patented devices.
- Communication Device that can assure the contact with the Rescue Centers;
- table showing the tel. numbers and/or the Radio hearing frequencies of the main Rescue Centers (Maritime Authorities; Hospitals, Ligurian Emergency   Rescue,   Compression Chamber Centers etc..) in compliance with attachment A;
- Rescue Bag;

ARTICLE B.3
Before leaving, the person responsible for the dive must write down on the related table the list of any participants to the dive, indicating the owned certifications, and the names of the diving guides, if present.

ARTICLE B.4
The diving guide must be owner of a recognized certification.
This must be released by one of the national or international widely acknowledged Federations/Enterprises/Associations, and he must operate within the limits that are fixed by his own certification, by assuming all civil and penal responsibilities related to the performed activity.
Every guide may not be leading more than five divers at the same time during the dive sessions and he must comply with the depth range limits established by their own certifications; in case of certifications of different degree the depth limit which is foreseen by the lowest degree must be observed.

ARTICLE B.5
During daylight dives the person responsible for the dive must manage to give signals by means of a red floating balloon bearing on its top a red flag with a white diagonal stripe: this must be visible at not less than 300 m distance.
The divers taking part to the dive must remain within a range of 50 m from the vertical of the signal described above.
For night diving the signal is made by the same floating balloon used during daylight and surmounted by a blinking yellow light visible all around at not less than 300 m distance.

ARTICLE B.6
In case of dives organized by Associations/Enterprises/Societies/Sport Clubs in order to perform diving training for releasing dive certifications, the divers will have to comply with the regulations stated by these nationally or internationally recognized Associations/Enterprises/Societies/Sport Clubs.
For such dives the organizational unit will have to transmit to the Coast Guard of Genova - Operative Dept. within at least 12 hrs from the dive, a declaration (see attachment B) by fax (010-261064) indicating:

- date, time and location of the dive;
- number of participants;
- name of the instructor responsible and of the assistants, if needed;
- naval unit engaged;
- operative organization.

PART C - DIVING ACTIVITY PERFORMED BY PRIVATE PERSONS

ARTICOLO C.1
In case of daylight dives the diver must give signal of his presence by displaying a red floating balloon with a red flag bearing a white diagonal stripe on its top: this must be visible at not less than 300 m distance. In case the diver is assisted by a nautical unit, the red flag with white diagonal stripe must be placed aboard in accordance with the dispositions as per art. A.7.
The diver must operate within a range of 50 m from the vertical line referred to the nautical unit or to the floating balloon bearing the signaling flag.
For night diving the signal is made by the same floating balloon used during daylight and surmounted by a blinking yellow light visible all around at not less than 300 m distance.
For more divers one only signal will be sufficient, in case they all operate within a range of 50 m from the vertical line of the signal.
In case of assistance by a nautical unit this will have to turn on all necessary signals in accordance with the dispositions as per art. A.7. and to be provided with a suitable communication device for use under emergency. On board a person will be able to provide needed assistance.

PART D - GENERAL DISPOSITIONS

ARTICLE D.l
The diving activity is forbidden:

- at a distance of less than 200 m from fishing fixed machinery and nets;
- at a distance of less than 200 m from cargo ships and of 300 m from military units of any country that are anchored outside the harbours;
- within the sea ranges of regular nautical traffic entering and leaving the harbour and for anchoring, as stated by related ordinance of the Chief of the marine district;
- within the areas that are closed to the bathing.
- Immediately close to the signals as per art. A.7, B.5 and C.1, the passing units, moved by engine or sail, have to slow down their speed maintaining   course at a distance of  100 m.

ARTICLE D.2
Any abuse of this ordinance, eccept in case of crime, will be punished according to art. 1231 of the Navigation Act or to the laws mentioned above in the Introduction concerning nautical leisure activity.

It is mandatory for anyone to comply with the present ordinance, which applies starting from March 15th 1999 and substitutes the Ordinance n.229/98 dated July, 18th 1998.

Genova, February 16th 1999

undersigned
COMMANDER
C.A. (CP) Eugenio SICUREZZA

*)
This text is a not official translation of parts from the original document.
It is meant to be an additional help to the foreign diver for understanding some major points of the Italian Regional Law.
Wreckdiveliguria does not make itself responsible for the true content of the text and lets the reader directly refer to the original Italian text.