ISO 6217:1982

Shipbuilding - Inland navigation - Pilot craft - Identification painting and inscriptions

Helps to permit identification of pilot crafts in heavy weather, in order to improve the efficiency of pilot service and the safety of navigation. Is applicable to pilot craft used in closed waters, estuaries and open road-steads to bring and take off pilot to merchant ships. The applicability of the requirements to pilot craft navigating under a navy flag is determined by the competent authorities of the relevant country.

Construction navale — Navigation intérieure — Engins flottants pilotes — Peintures et inscriptions distinctives

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 31-Jul-1982
• ICS: 01.070 - Colour coding
• ICS: 47.060 - Inland navigation vessels
• Technical Committee: ISO/TC 8/SC 7 - Inland navigation vessels
• Drafting Committee: ISO/TC 8/SC 7 - Inland navigation vessels
• Current Stage: 9093 - International Standard confirmed
• Start Date: 09-Apr-2025
• Completion Date: 13-Dec-2025

Overview

ISO 6217:1982 specifies distinctive external painting and inscriptions for inland pilot craft to permit reliable visual identification in heavy weather. The standard aims to improve the efficiency of pilot services and the safety of navigation for pilot craft operating in closed waters, estuaries and open road-steads. Applicability to vessels flying a navy flag is determined by the competent national authorities.

Keywords: ISO 6217, pilot craft, pilot boat, identification painting, PILOT inscriptions, yellow-orange, freeboard, navigation safety.

Key Topics

• Purpose: Unify exterior colours and distinctive markings so pilot craft can be identified at distance and in adverse meteorological conditions.
• Scope: Applies to pilot craft used to embark and disembark pilots from merchant ships in inland waters, estuaries and open road-steads.
• Painting variants:
  • Variant A: Hull painted yellow‑orange; superstructure (or roof) painted white - specified for pilot craft with a freeboard at midships of 1 m or more.
  • Variant B: Both hull and superstructure (or roof) painted yellow‑orange - specified for pilot craft with a freeboard less than 1 m.
• Colour requirements: Use light, saturated, pure yellow‑orange tints; red‑orange shades are not permitted. Specific colour references are to be determined by applicable national colour standards.
• Distinctive inscriptions:
  • The word PILOT must be carried in black on pilot craft.
  • For craft with freeboard ≥ 1 m: the inscription PILOT must appear on both sides of the hull. Letter height must be at least one half of the freeboard height at midships. It is recommended that the inscription also appear on the forward face of the superstructure in letters of at least 250 mm.
  • For craft with freeboard < 1 m: PILOT must be placed on the superstructure (deckhouse or roof) on both sides, with letters at least 250 mm.
  • For small boats where roof space is limited, carry the marking on the wheelhouse roof or, if necessary, apply a black circle with a white letter 'P' centered, the base of the letter facing forward.
• Authority and visibility: Exact placement, lettering dimensions and inscription lengths are to be set by competent authorities to ensure maximum visibility and legibility at range.

Applications

• Standardizes pilot craft appearance for port authorities, shipmasters and pilots to speed visual recognition during transfer operations.
• Reduces identification errors in heavy weather and low-visibility conditions, supporting safer pilot boarding and disembarkation.
• Useful for shipbuilders, fleet operators and regulatory bodies when implementing marking and colour schemes for pilot vessels.

Related Standards

• ISO 6216: referenced for definitions relevant to pilot craft classification and principal requirements.

For national implementation, competent authorities determine details such as exact colour references and any specific application to naval-flagged pilot craft.

Standards Content (Sample)

International Standard
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR STANDARDIZATION.ME))((IYHAPO~HAR OPTAHH3AWlR fl0 CTAH&WTH3AlWl@ORGANISATION INTERNATIONALE DE NORMALISATION
Shipbuilding - Inland navigation - Pilot traft -
Identification painting and inscriptions
Construction navale - Navigation in thrieure - Engins flottan ts pilo tes - Pein tures et inscrip tions dis tin c tives
First edition - 1982-08-01
UDC 629.12 - 476 : 003.62 Ref. No. ISO 6217-1982 (E)
Descriptors : shipbuilding, inland navigation, Pilot traft, ships, boats, painting, identification methods.
Price based on 4 pages
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of
national Standards institutes (ISO member bedies). The work of developing Inter-
national Standards is carried out through ISO technical committees. Every member
body interested in a subject for which a technical committee has been set up has the
right to be represented on that committee. International organizations, governmental
and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.
Draft International Standards adopted by the technical committees are circulated to
the member bodies for approval before their acceptance as International Standards by
the ISO Council.
International Standard ISO 6217 was developed by Technical Committee ISO/TC 8,
Shipbuifding and marine structures, and was circulated to the member bodies in
October 1981.
lt has been approved by the member bodies of the following countries :
Austria India Poland
Belgium Italy Portugal
Bulgaria Japan Romania
Czechoslova kia Spain
Korea, Rep. of
Egypt, Arab Rep. of Mexico USSR
France
Norway Y ugoslavia
The member body of the following country expressed disapproval of the document on
tech
nical grounds
United Kingdom
International Organization for Standardization, 1982
Printed in Switzerland
ISO 6217-1982 (EI
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD
Inland navigation - Pilot traft -
Shipbuilding -
Identification painting and inscriptions
1 Scope 5.2 Requirements for colour
This International Standard provides unified colour diagrams of To paint the surfaces yellow-orange, paints of a light,
the outside painting and the identification marking of Pilot traft saturated, pure yellow-orange tint shall be used. Red-orange
to permit identification thereof in heavy weather, in Order to tints are not permitted.
improve the efficiency of Pilot Service and the safety of navi-
gation. Colour Standards are determined by national Standards.
2 Field of application
6 Identification inscriptions
2.1 This International Standard is applicable to Pilot traft
used in closed waters, estuaries and open roadsteads to bring
6.1 Pilot traft shall carry an identification inscription
and take off pilots to merchant ships.
“PILOT” in black.
2.2 The ap
...

Norme internationale
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR STANDARDIZATIONWEXflYHAPO~HAR OPrAHM3ALWlR l-l0 CTAH~APTM3ALWWORGANISATION INTERNATIONALE DE NORMALISATION
Construction navale - Navigation intérieure - Engins
flottants pilotes - Peintures et inscriptions distinctives
Shipbuilding - lnland navigation - Pila t craft - lden tifica tion pain ting and inscriptions
Première édition - 1982-08-01
CDU 629.12 - 476 : 003.62 Réf. no : ISO 6217-1982 (FI
Descripteurs : construction navale, navigation fluviale, bateau-pilote,
navire, embarcation, peinturage.
Prix basé sur 4 pages
Avant-propos
L’ISO (Organisation internationale de normalisation) est une fédération mondiale
d’organismes nationaux de normalisation (comités membres de I’ISO). L’élaboration
des Normes internationales est confiée aux comités techniques de I’ISO. Chaque
comité membre intéressé par une étude a le droit de faire partie du comité technique
correspondant. Les organisations internationales, gouvernementales et non gouverne-
mentales, en liaison avec I’ISO, participent également aux travaux.
Les projets de Normes internationales adoptés par les comités techniques sont soumis
aux comités membres pour approbation, avant leur acceptation comme Normes inter-
nationales par le Conseil de I’ISO.
La Norme internationale ISO 6217 a été élaborée par le comité technique ISO/TC 8,
Construction navale et structures maritimes, et a été soumise aux comités membres en
octobre 1981.
Les comités membres des pays suivants l’ont approuvée :
Autriche
France Pologne
Belgique Inde Portugal
Bulgarie Italie Roumanie
Corée, Rép. de Japon
Tchécoslovaquie
Égypte, Rép. arabe d’ Mexique URSS
Espagne Norvège Yougoslavie
Le comité membre du pays suivant l’a désapprouvée pour des raisons techniques :
Royaume-Uni
@ Organisation internationale de normalisation, 1982 0
Imprimé en Suisse
ISO 62174982 (FI
NORME INTERNATIONALE
Construction navale - Navigation intérieure - Engins
flottants pilotes - Peintures et inscriptions distinctives
1 Objet 5.2 Exigences pour les couleurs
La présente Norme internationale a pour objet d’unifier les cou- Pour la peinture des surfaces en jaune-orange, on doit utiliser
leurs de la peinture extérieure et les inscriptions distinctives des des teintes claires, saturées, pures. Les couleurs rouge-orange
engins flottants pilotes afin d’assurer leur identification dans ne sont pas admissibles.
des conditions météorologiques défavorables, en vue d’amélio-
rer l’efficacité du service de pilotage et la sécurité de la naviga- Des couleurs standard sont déterminées par des normes natio-
tion. nales.
2 Domaine d’application
6 Inscriptions distinctives
2.1 La présente Norme internationale est applicable aux
engins flottants pilotes naviguant dans les bassins, les estuaires
6.1 Les engins flottants pilotes doivent porter l’inscription
et les rades ouvertes pour transporter les pilotes vers les navires
distinctive ((PI LOT)) en noir.
marchands ou les débarquer de ces navires.
NOTE - La nécessité de l
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