Navigation Lamp Approvals

Hella marine navigation lamps comply with the International Regulations for Prevention of Collisions at Sea (IMO COLREG 72).

This IMO compliance, together with supplementary national or regional requirements, is listed with each navigation lamp series throughout the catalogue.

Approval types:

Complies with IMO (International Maritime Organization) requirements under the International Regulations for the Prevention of Collisions at Sea. (IMO COLREG 72) IMO COLREG 72 forms the international basis for legal navigation lighting on vessels.

Approved under the Marine Equipment Directive (MED) 96/98/EC last modified by directive 2008/67/EC for use throughout Europe in all EC member states for both pleasure and commercial vessels.

Approved by the German BSH (Bundesamt für Seeschifffahrt und Hydrographie) and carry BSH type approval numbers. BSH was formerly called DHI (Deutsches Hydrographisches Institut).

Approved by the Italian RINA (Registro Italiano Navale) authority.

Suitable for vessels compliant with RCD (Recreational Crafts and Personal Watercraft Directive) 2013/53/EU. RCD promotes a single set of EU safety and technical requirements for new recreational vessels less than 24m in length within the European Community.

Complies with USCG (United States Coast Guard) requirements. Lamps carry a marking for minimum visible distance in nautical miles, e.g. USCG 2 NM.

Complies with ABYC (American Boat and Yacht Council) Navigation Lamp Standard A-16.

Certifying bodies:

Lamp Requirements by Vessel Length

For vessels less than 50 meters in length overall, IMO COLREG 72 describes the following minimum visible distances for navigation lamps. Supplementary national approvals may also apply.

Vessels 12-20 meters / 40-65 feet in length: • 2NM - White, Red, Green All Round lamps • 3NM - Masthead lamp • 2NM - Port and Starboard lamps • 2NM - Stern lamp • 2NM - Tri Colour lamp (Sailing vessels under sail only) Vessels 20-50 meters / 65-150 feet in length: • 2NM - White, Red, Green All Round lamps • 5NM - Masthead lamp • 2NM - Port and Starboard lamps • 2NM - Stern lamp