International Regulations for preventing collision

1InternationalRegulationsforpreventingcollisionsatSea,1972(COLREGS)PARTAGENERALRule1Application(a)TheseRulesshallapplytoallvesselsuponthehighseasandinallwatersconnectedtherewithnavigablebyseagoingvessels.(b)NothingintheseRulesshallinterferewiththeoperationofspecialrulesmadebyanappropriateauthorityforroadsteads,harbours,rivers,lakesorinlandwaterwaysconnectedwiththehighseasandnavigablebyseagoingvessels.SuchspecialrulesshallconformascloselyaspossibletotheseRules.(c)NothingintheseRulesshallinterferewiththeoperationofanyspecialrulesmadebytheGovernmentofanyStatewithrespecttoadditionalstationorsignallightsorwhistlesignalsforshipsofwarandvesselsproceedingunderconvoy,orwithrespecttoadditionalstationorsignallightsforfishingvesselsengagedinfishingasafleet.Theseadditionalstationorsignallightsorwhistlesignalsshall,sofaraspossible,besuchthattheycannotbemistakenforanylightorsignalauthorizedelsewhereundertheseRules.(d)TrafficseparationschemesmaybeadoptedbytheOrganizationforthepurposeoftheseRules.(e)WhenevertheGovernmentconcernedshallhavedeterminedthatavesselofspecialconstructionorpurposecannotcomplyfullywiththeprovisionsofanyoftheseRuleswithrespecttothenumber,position,rangeorarcofvisibilityoflightsorshapes,aswellastothedispositionandcharacteristicsofsound-signallingappliances,withoutinterferingwiththespecialfunctionofthevessel,suchvesselshallcomplywithsuchotherprovisionsinregardtothenumber,position,rangeorarcofvisibilityoflightsorshapes,aswellastothedispositionandcharacteristicsofsound-signallingappliances,asherGovernmentshallhavedeterminedtobetheclosestpossiblecompliancewiththeseRulesinrespecttothatvessel.2COLREGSRule2Responsibility(a)NothingintheseRulesshallexonerateanyvessel,ortheowner,masterorcrewthereof,fromtheconsequencesofanyneglecttocomplywiththeseRulesoroftheneglectofanyprecautionwhichmayberequiredbytheordinarypracticeofseamen,orbythespecialcircumstancesofthecase.(b)InconstruingandcomplyingwiththeseRulesdueregardshallbehadtoalldangersofnavigationandcollisionandtoanyspecialcircumstances,includingthelimitationsofthevesselsinvolved,whichmaymakeadeparturefromtheseRulesnecessarytoavoidimmediatedanger.Rule3GeneraldefinitionsForthepurposeoftheseRules,exceptwherethecontextotherwiserequires:(a)Thewordvesselincludeseverydescriptionofwatercraft,includingnon-displacementcraftandseaplanes,usedorcapableofbeingusedasameansoftransportationonwater.(b)Thetermpower-drivenvesselmeansanyvesselpropelledbymachinery.(c)Thetermsailingvesselmeansanyvesselundersailprovidedthatpropellingmachinery,iffitted,isnotbeingused.(d)Thetermvesselengagedinfishingmeansanyvesselfishingwithnets,lines,trawlsorotherfishingapparatuswhichrestrictmanoeuvrability,butdoesnotincludeavesselfishingwithtrollinglinesorotherfishingapparatuswhichdonotrestrictmanoeuvrability.(e)Thewordseaplaneincludesanyaircraftdesignedtomanoeuvreonthewater.(f)ThetermvesselnotundercommandmeansavesselwhichthroughsomeexceptionalcircumstanceisunabletomanoeuvreasrequiredbytheseRulesandisthereforeunabletokeepoutofthewayofanothervessel.(g)ThetermvesselrestrictedinherabilitytomanoeuvremeansavesselwhichfromthenatureofherworkisrestrictedinherabilitytomanoeuvreasrequiredbytheseRulesandisthereforeunabletokeepoutofthewayofanothervessel.Thefollowingvesselsshallberegardedasvesselsrestrictedintheirabilitytomanoeuvre:(i)avesselengagedinlaying,servicingorpickingupanavigationmark,submarinecableorpipeline;(ii)avesselengagedindredging,surveyingorunderwateroperations;(iii)avesselengagedinreplenishmentortransferringpersons,provisionsorcargowhileunderway;(iv)avesselengagedinthelaunchingorrecoveryofaircraft;3COLREGS(v)avesselengagedinminesweepingoperations;(vi)avesselengagedinatowingoperationsuchasrendersherunabletodeviatefromhercourse.(h)Thetermvesselconstrainedbyherdraughtmeansapower-drivenvesselwhichbecauseofherdraughtinrelationtotheavailabledepthofwaterisseverelyrestrictedinherabilitytodeviatefromthecoursesheisfollowing.(i)Thewordunderwaymeansthatavesselisnotatanchor,ormadefasttotheshore,oraground.(j)Thewordslengthandbreathofavesselmeanherlengthoverallandgreatestbreadth.(k)Vesselsshallbedeemedtobeinsightofoneanotheronlywhenonecanbeobservedvisuallyfromtheother.(l)Thetermrestrictedvisibilitymeansanyconditioninwhichvisibilityisrestrictedbyfog,mist,fallingsnow,heavyrainstorms,sandstormsoranyothersimilarcauses.PARTBSTEERINGANDSAILINGRULESSECTIONICONDUCTOFVESSELSINANYCONDITIONOFVISIBILITYRule4ApplicationRulesinthisSectionapplyinanyconditionofvisibility.Rule5Look-outEveryvesselshallatalltimesmaintainaproperlook-outbysightandhearingaswellasbyallavailablemeansappropriateintheprevailingcircumstancesandconditionssoastomakeafullappraisalofthesituationandoftheriskofcollision.Rule6SafespeedEveryvesselshallatalltimesproceedatasafespeedsothatshecantakeproperandeffectiveactiontoavoidcollisionandbestoppedwithinadistanceappropriatetotheprevailingcircumstancesandconditions.4COLREGSIndeterminingasafespeedthefollowingfactorsshallbeamongthosetakenintoaccount:(a)Byallvessels:(i)thestateofvisibility;(ii)thetrafficdensityincludingc