International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea
|
|
The International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea 1972 are published by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and set out the "rules of the road" to be followed by ships and other vessels at sea.
In the UK, they are still often referred to as the "Collision Regulations" (or ColRegs), their former name. In the USA a slightly different version is in use, called the "Navigation Rules" (NavRules); these contain rules for navigation on US inland waters as well as at sea.
The ColRegs form an integral part of the Racing Rules of Sailing, which govern the conduct of yacht and dinghy racing.
The Convention on International Regulations for Preventing Collisons at Sea was adopted by the IMO member countries on 20 October 1972 and the regulations were brought into force on 15 July 1977. The regulations have subsequently been revised in 1981, 1987, 1989, 1993 and 2001. The 1972 regulations replaced the Collision Regulations first adopted in 1960.
The regulations are made of five(5) parts A-E and four(4) annexes I-IV.
Summary of the rules
The rules are specified in great detail in the regulations and the serious student is encouraged to seek the definitive document. However the rules are summarized below.
Part A - General
- 1. Application
- The rules apply to all vessels in all tidal waters.
- 2. Responsibility
- Owners, masters, and crew are all responsible for following the rules.
- 3. General Definitions
- Defines vessel, sailing vessel, power-driven vessel and a number of other terms used in subsequent rules.
Part B - Steering and sailing
Section I (for any visibility)
- 4. Application
- The rules apply in any visibility (e.g. in sight or in restricted visibility).
- 5. Look-out
- Any vessel must keep a proper look-out by sight (day shape or lights by eyes or visual aids), hearing (sound signal or Marine VHF radio) and all available means (e.g. Radar, ARPA, AIS, GMDSS...) and to judge if there is any risk of collision.
- 6. Safe speed
- Any vessel must proceed at a safe speed, which she can to take action to avoid collison and able to stop within the distance for the prevailing conditions (including the visibility, weather, traffic condition, background lights, her maneovability and draft in relation with the available water).
- When radar is in use, also consider if there is any limitions of the equipment, range scale in use, weather and other interference, weak targets, targets density and movement, and use radar to judge the visibility is much accurate for objects nearby.
- 7. Risk of Collision
- Vessels must use all available means to determine the risk of a collision, including the use of radar (if available) to get early warning of the risk of collison by radar plotting or equivalent systematic observation of detected objects.(e.g. ARPA, AIS).
- If the distance of any vessel is reduced and her compass bearing does not change much or a large vessel or towing vessel at close distance or if in doubt, risk of collision shall be deemed to exist.
- 8. Action to avoid collision
- Actions taken to avoid collision should be:
- positive
- obvious
- made in good time
- 9. Narrow channels
- A vessel proceeding along a narrow channel must keep to starboard.
- Small vessels or sailing vessels must not impede (larger) vessels which can navigate only within a narrow channel.
- Ships must not cross a channel if to do so would impede another vessel which can navigate only within that channel.
- 10. Traffic separation schemes
- Ships must cross traffic lanes "as nearly as practicable" at right angles to the direction of traffic. This reduces confusion and enables that vessel to cross the lane as quickly as possible.
Section II (for vessels in sight of one another)
- 11. Application
- The following rules 11-18 applies to vessels in sight of one another.(Section II does not apply if in restricted visibility, see Section III)
- 12. Sailing vessels
- Two sailing vessels approaching one another must give-way as follows:
- Port gives way to Starboard. When each has the wind on a different side, the vessel which has the wind to port must give way;
- Windward gives way to leeward. When both have the wind on the same side, the vessel which is windward must give way to the vessel which is leeward;
- Unsure port gives way. If a vessel, with the wind on the port side, sees a vessel to windward and cannot determine whether the other vessel has the wind on the port or the starboard side, they must give way.
- 13. Overtaking
- The overtaking vessel must keep well clear of the vessel being overtaken.
- 14. Head-on situations
- When two power-driven vessels are meeting head-on both must alter course to starboard so that they pass on the port side of the other.
- 15. Crossing situations
- When two power-driven vessels are crossing, the vessel which has the other on the starboard side must give way.
- 16. The give-way vessel
- The give-way vessel must take early and substantial action to keep well clear.
- 17 The stand-on vessel
- The stand-on vessel may take action to avoid collision if it becomes clear that the give-way vessel is not taking appropriate action.
- 18. Responsibilities Between Vessels
- Except in narrow channels, traffic schemes, and when overtaking (i.e. rules 9, 10, and 13)
- A power-driven vessel must give way to:
- a vessel not under command;
- a vessel restricted in ability to maneuver;
- a vessel engaged in fishing;
- a sailing vessel.
- A sailing vessel must give way to:
- a vessel not under command;
- a vessel restricted in ability to maneuver;
- a vessel engaged in fishing.
- A power-driven vessel must give way to:
Section III (for restricted visibility)
- 19. Restricted visibility
- (a) Rule 19 applies to vessels (not in sight of one another) in or near of restricted visibility waters.
- (b) All ships shall reduce to a safe speed for the condition of visibility (see Rule 6). A power-driven vessel shall standby her engine for immediate use or stop (particularly for a large ocean going vessel may take long time to get her engine ready to use).
- (c) All ships shall comply with the Section I of this Part (e.g. Rule 5.lookout, 6.safe speed, 7.risk of collision, 8.action to avoid collision, 9. Narrow Channel & 10. TSS) for the visibility condition.
- (d) Take early and substantial action to avoid collision if detecting another vessel by use radar alone (not in sight), but:-
- 1. any change of course to port for a vessel forward of the beam should be avoided except for a vessel being overtaken (e.g. determined by radar plot),
- 2. any change of course toward a vessel abeam or abaft the beam should be avoided.
- when hear any unknown fog signal of another vessel apparently forward should reduce the speed to minimum or make all way off (stop all water speed by astern engine) and navigate with extreme caution unless risk of collision not exist (e.g. determined by radar plot, but aware of small crafts may not able be detected or mis-identified in busy waters).
Part C - Lights and shapes
- 20. Application
- Rules concerning lights apply from sunset to sunrise.
- 21. Definitions
- Gives definitions for various types of light. 'Sidelights' means a green light on the starboard side and a red light on the port side.
- 22. Visibility of lights
- Lights must be visible as follows;
- In vessels of 50 metres or more in length:
- a masthead light, 6 nautical miles;
- a sidelight, 3 miles;
- a towing light, 3 miles;
- a white, red, green or yellow all-around light, 3 miles.
- In vessels between 12-50 meters in length;
- a masthead light, 5 miles;
- a sidelight, 2 miles;
- a sternlight, 2 miles;
- a white, red, green or yellow all-round light, 2 miles.
- In vessels less than 12 meters in length:
- a masthead light, 2 miles;
- a sidelight, 1 mile;
- a towing light, 2 miles;
- a white, red, green or yellow all-around light, 2 miles.
- In vessels of 50 metres or more in length:
- 23. Lights displayed by power-driven vessels underway
- A power-driven vessel underway must display:
- a masthead light forward;
- If over 50m length a second masthead light aft and higher than the forward one;
- sidelights;
- a sternlight.
- A hovercraft must also display an all-round flashing yellow light.
- A power-driven vessel of less than 12 meters may display only an all-round white light and sidelights.
- A power-driven vessel of less than 7 meters whose maximum speed does not exceed 7 knots may display only an all-round white light.
- 24. Lights for vessels towing and pushing
- 25. Lights for sailing and rowing vessels
- 26. Lights for fishing vessels
- 27. Lights for vessels not under command or restricted in their ability to manoeuvre
- 28. Lights for vessels constrained by their draught
- 29. Lights for pilot vessels
- 30. Lights for vessels anchored and aground
- A vessel at anchor must display an all-round white light or one ball and at the stern and at a lower level than the first light, an all-round white light
- 31. Lights for seaplanes
Part D - Sound and light signals
32. Definitions of whistle short blast (1 second) , and prolonged blast (4-6 seconds)
- 33. Equipment
- Vessels 12 metres or more in length should carry a whistle and a bell and vessels 100 metres or more in length should carry in addition a gong.
- 34. Manoeuvring and warning signals, using whistle or lights (summary chart (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:COLREG_sound_%26_light_signals.GIF))
- The signals are used when vessels are in sight of one another
- 35. Sound signals to be used in restricted visibility (summary chart (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:COLREG_sound_%26_light_signals.GIF))
- The signals are used when vessels are in restricted visibility.
- 36. Signals to be used to attract attention
- 37. Distress signals
Part E - Exemption
- 38. Exemption
ANNEXES
- ANNEX I - Positioning and technical details of lights and shapes
- ANNEX II - Additional signals for fishing vessels fishing in close proximity
- ANNEX III - Technical details of sound signal appliances
- ANNEX IV - Distress signals
1. The following signals, used or exhibited either together or separately, indicate distress and need of assistance:
(a) a gun or other explosive signal fired at intervals of about a minute;
(b) a continuous sounding with any fog-signalling apparatus;
(c) rockets or shells, throwing red stars fired one at a time at short intervals;
(d) a signal made by radiotelegraphy or by any other signalling method consisting of the group ．．．－ － － ．．．(SOS) in the Morse Code;
(e) a signal sent by radiotelephony consisting of the spoken word “Mayday”;
(f) the International Code Signal of distress indicated by NC;
(g) a signal consisting of a square flag having above or below it a ball or anything resembling a ball;
(h) flames on the vessel (as from a burning tar barrel, oil barrel, etc);
(i) a rocket parachute flare or a hand flare showing a red light;
(j) a smoke signal giving off orange-coloured smoke;
(k) slowly and repeatedly raising and lowering arms outstretched to each side;
(l) the radiotelegraph alarm signal;
(m) the radiotelephone alarm signal;
(n) signals transmitted by emergency position-indicating radio beacons;(see GMDSS)
(o) approved signals transmitted by radiocommunication systems, including survival craft radar transponders. (see GMDSS)
2. The use or exhibition of any of the foregoing signals except for the purpose of indicating distress and need of assistance and the use of other signals which may be confused with any of the above signals is prohibited.
3. Attention is drawn to the relevant sections of the International Code of Signals, the Merchant Ship Search and Rescue Manual and the following signals;
(a) a piece of orange-coloured canvas with either a black square and circle or other appropriate symbol (for identification from the air);
(b) a dye marker.
See also
References
- IMO page on the Regulations (http://www.imo.org/Conventions/mainframe.asp?topic_id=257&doc_id=649)
- Colregs in Hong Kong (http://www.legislation.gov.hk/blis_ind.nsf/e1bf50c09a33d3dc482564840019d2f4/81f43cb1df4a4925c8256483002a5d56?OpenDocument)de:Seestraßenordnung