| Rule 1. Application (a) These rules shall | These rules shall apply to all vessels upon the high seas and in all waters connected therewith navigable by seagoing vessels |
| Rule 1. Application (b) Nothing in these | Nothing in these rules shall interfere with the operation of special rules made by an an appropriate authority for roadsteads harbours rivers lakes or inland waterways connected with the high seas and navigable by seagoing vessels such special rules shall conform as closely as possible to these rules |
| Rule 1. Application (c) Nothing in these | Nothing in these rules shall interfere with the operation of any special rules made by the government of any state with respect to additional station or signal lights, shapes or whistle signals for ships of war and vessels proceeding under convoy, or with respect to additional station or signal lights or shapes for fishing vessels engaged in fishing as a fleet. These additional station or signal lights, shapes or whistle signals shall, so far as possible, be such that they cannot be mistaken for any light, shapes or signal authorised elsewhere under these rules |
| Rule 1. Application (d) Trafic separation schemes | Traffic separation schemes may be adopted by the organization for the purpose of these rules |
| Rule 1. Application (e) Whenever the government | Whenever the government concerned shall have determined that a vessel of special construction or purpose cannot comply fully with the provisions of any of these rules with respect to the number, position, range or arc of visibility of lights or shapes, as well as to the disposition and characteristics of sound-signalling appliances, such vessel shall comply with such other provisions in regard to the number, position, range or arc of visibility of lights or shapes, as well as to the disposition and characteristics of sound-signalling appliances, as her government shall have determined to be the closest possible compliance with these rules in respect to that vessel |
| Rule 2. Responsibility (a) Nothing in these shall exonerate | Nothing in these rules shall exonerate any vessel, or the owner, master or crew thereof, from the consequences of any neglect to comply with these Rules or of the neglect of any precaution which may be required by the ordinary practice of seamen, or by the special circumstances of the case |
| Rule 2 . Responsibility (b) In construing and | In construing and complying with these rules due regard shall be had to all dangers of navigation and collision and to any special circumstances, including the limitations of the vessels involved, which may make a departure from these Rules necessary to avoid immediate danger. |
| Rule 3. General definitions (a) The word vessel | The word vessel includes every description of water craft, including non displacement craft, wig craft and seaplanes, used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water |
| Rule 3. General definitions (b) The term pdv | The term power driven vessel means any vessel propelled by machinery |
| Rule 3. General definitions (c) The term sv | The term sailing vessel means any vessel under sail provided that propelling machinery, if fitted, is not being used |
| Rule 3. General definitions (d) The term veif | The term vessel engaged in fishing means any vessel fishing with nets, lines, trawls or other fishing apparatus which restrict manoeuvrability, but does not include a vessel fishing with trolling lines or other fishing apparatus which do not restrict manoeuvrability |
| Rule 3. General definitions (e) The word seaplane | The word seaplane includes any aircraft designed to manoeuvre on the water |
| Rule 3. General definitions (f) The term vnuc | The term vessel not under command means a vessel which through some exceptional circumstance is unable to manoeuvre as required by these rules and is therefore unable to keep out of the way of another vessel |
| Rule 3. General definitions (g) The term vrihatm | The term vessel restricted in her ability to manoeuvre means a vessel which from the nature of her work is restricted in her ability to manoeuvre as required by these rules and therefore is unable to keep out of the way of another vessel.
The term vessels restricted in their ability to manoeuvre shall include but not be limited to a vessel engaged in laying, servicing or picking up a navigation mark, submarine cable or pipeline a vessel engaged in dredging, surveying or underwater operations a vessel engaged in replenishment or transferring persons, provisions or
cargo while underway; a vessel engaged in the launching or recovery of aircraft a vessel engaged in mineclearance operations a vessel engaged in a towing operation such as severely restricts the towing vessel and her tow in their ability to deviate from their course |
| Rule 3. General definitions (h) The term vcbhd | The term vessel constrained by her draught means a power driven vessel which because of her draught in relation to the available depth and width of navigable water, is severely restricted in her ability to deviate from the course she is following |
| Rule 3. General definitions (i) The word underway | The word underway means that a vessel is not at anchor, or made fast to the shore, or aground |
| Rule 3. General definitions (j) The words lab | The words length and breadth of a vessel mean her length overall and greatest breadth |
| Rule 3. General definitions (k) Vessels shall be | Vessels shall be deemed to be in sight of one another only when one can be observed visually from the other |
| Rule 3. General definitions (l) The term resvis | The term restricted visibility means any condition in which visibility is restricted by fog, mist, falling snow, heavy rainstorms, sandstorms or any other similar causes |
| Rule 3. General definitions (m) The term WIG | The term Wing-In-Ground (WIG) craft means a multimodal craft which, in its main operational mode, flies in close proximity to the surface by utilising surface effect action |
| Rule 4. Application | Rules in this section apply in any condition of visibility |
| Rule 5. Look-out | Every vessel shall at all times maintain a proper look out by sight and hearing as well as by all available means appropriate in the prevailing circumstances and conditions so as to make a full appraisal of the situation and of the risk of collision |
| Rule 6. Safe Speed - Every vessel shall at | Every vessel shall at all times proceed at a safe speed so that she can take proper and effective action to avoid collision and be stopped within a distance appropriate to the prevailing circumstances and conditions |
| Rule 6. Safe speed (a) By all vessels | the state of visibility the traffic density including concentrations of fishing vessels or any other vessels the manoeuvrability of the vessel with special reference to stopping distance and turning ability in the prevailing conditions at night the presence of background light such as from shore lights or from back scatter of her own lights the state of wind, sea and current, and the proximity of navigational hazards the draught in relation to the available depth of water |
| Rule 6 Safe speed (b) Additionally by vessels with operational radar | The characteristics, efficiency and limitations of the radar equipment any constraints imposed by the radar range scale in use the effect on radar detection of the sea state,weather and other sources of interference the possibility that small vessels, ice and other floating objects may not be detected by radar at an adequate range the number, location and movement of vessels detected by radar the more exact assessment of the visibility that may be possible when radar is used to determine the range of vessels or other objects in the vicinity |
| Rule 7. Risk of collision (a) Every vessel shall use | Every vessel shall use all available means appropriate to the prevailing circumstances and conditions to determine if risk of collision exists. If there is any doubt such risk shall be deemed to exist |
| Rule 7. Risk of collision (b) Proper use shall | Proper use shall be made of radar equipment if fitted and operational, including long range scanning to obtain early warning of risk of collision and radar plotting or equivalent systematic observation of detected objects |
| Rule 7. Risk of collision (c) Assumptions shall not | Assumptions shall not be made on the basis of scanty information, especially scanty radar information |
| Rule 7. Risk of collision (d) In determining if | In determining if risk of collision exists the following considerations shall be among those taken into account such risk shall be deemed to exist if the compass bearing of an approaching vessel does not appreciably change such risk may sometimes exist even when an appreciable bearing change is evident, particularly when approaching a very large vessel or a tow or when approaching a vessel at close range |
| Rule 8. Action to avoid collision (a) Any action to | Any action to avoid collision shall be taken in accordance with the rules of this part and shall, if the circumstances of the case admit, be positive, made in ample time and with due regard to the observance of good seamanship |
| Rule 8. Action to avoid collision (b) Any alteration of | Any alteration of course and or speed to avoid collision, shall, if the circumstances of the case admit, be large enough to be readily apparent to another vessel observing visually or by radar; a succession of small alterations of course and/or speed should be avoided |
| Rule 8. Action to avoid collision (c) If there is | If there is sufficient sea room, alteration of course alone may be the most effective action to avoid a close-quarters situation provided that it is made in good time, is substantial and does not result in another close-quarters situation |
| Rule 8. Action to avoid collision (d) Action taken to avoid | Action taken to avoid collision with another vessel shall be such as to result in passing at a safe distance. The effectiveness of the action shall be carefully checked until the other vessel is finally past and clear |
| Rule 8. Action to avoid collision (e) If necessary to | If necessary to avoid collision or allow more to assess the situation, a vessel shall slacken her speed or take all way off by stopping or reversing her means of propulsion |
| Rule 8. Action to avoid collision (f) (i) A vessel which | A vessel which, by any of these rules, is required not to impede the passage or safe passage of another vessel shall, when required by the circumstances of the case, take early action to allow sufficient sea room for the safe passage of the other vessel |
| Rule 8. Action to avoid collision (f) (ii) A vessel required | A vessel required not to impede the passage or safe passage of another vessel is not relieved of this obligation if approaching the other vessel so as to involve risk of collision and shall, when taking action, have full regard to the action which may be required by the rules of this part |
| Rule 8. Action to avoid collision (f) (iii) A vessel the | A vessel the passage of which is not to be impeded remains fully obliged to comply with the rules of this part when the two vessels are approaching one another so as to involve risk of collision |
