International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea

[8] This rule sets out a requirement for all vessels to proceed at a safe speed with reference to the prevailing circumstances and conditions.

[9] This rule sets out a requirement for all vessels to proceed at a safe speed with reference to the prevailing circumstances and conditions.

[15] Typically abbreviated to TSS by mariners, these schemes aim to promote the safety of navigation by ensuring ships follow a general direction of travel within defined traffic lanes.

[15] The TSS lanes are shown on paper and electronic charts and by monitoring their position, a ship can determine their navigation within the scheme.

[28] This rule governs collision avoidance for vessels not in sight of another when navigating in or near an area of restricted visibility.

The rule requires all vessels to proceed at a safe speed adapted to the conditions and to effectively take action to avoid collision in ample time.

In the UK in 1858 coloured sidelights were recommended for sailing vessels and fog signals were required to be given, by steam vessels on the ship's whistle and by sailing vessels on the fog horn or bell, while a separate but similar action was also taken in the United States as by 1850 onwards, English maritime law on collisions was being gradually adopted in United States law.

[35][a] Also in 1850, courts in the England and the United States adopted common law pertaining to reasonable speed within the Assured Clear Distance Ahead.

[36][b][37][c][38][d] In 1863 a new set of rules drawn up by the British Board of Trade, in consultation with the French government, came into force.

International regulations would continue to be further developed over the next several decades as a result of legislative and government action by the UK, US and other maritime States.

For example, in 1867, Thomas Gray, assistant secretary to the Maritime Department of the Board of Trade, wrote The Rule of the Road, a pamphlet that became famous for its well-known mnemonic verses.

[40] Furthermore, in 1878, the United States codified its common law rules for reducing the risk of collisions.

With the recommendation that the direction of a turn be referenced by the rudder instead of the helm or tiller being informally agreed by all maritime nations in 1935.

International Conference made several recommendations, including the recognition of radar; these were eventually ratified in 1952 and became effective in 1954.

They were designed to update and replace the Collision Regulations of 1960, particularly with regard to Traffic Separation Schemes (TSS) following the first of these, introduced in the Strait of Dover in 1967.

[1] As of June 2013, the convention has been ratified by 155 states representing 98.7% of the tonnage of the world's merchant fleets.

In 2001 new rules were added relating to wing-in-ground-effect (WIG) craft and in 2007 the text of Annex IV (Distress signals) was rewritten.

[1] The 2013 amendments (resolution A.1085(28)) Adoption: 4 December 2013 Entry into force: 1 January 2016 After existing part E (Exemptions), a new part F (Verification of compliance with the provisions of the Convention) is added in order for the Organization to make necessary verifications under the IMO Member State Audit Scheme.

[46] Individual governing bodies must pass legislation to establish or assign such authority, as well as to create national navigation laws (and subsequent specific regulations) which conform to the international convention; each national administration is thereafter responsible for the implementation and enforcement of the regulations as it applies to ships and vessels under its legal authority.

[51] For Marshall Islands waters and ships, Chapter 22.11.4 requires all vessels to comply with the 1972 COLREGs, as amended.

[52] Section 150 of the Maritime Act encompasses the fitting and provision of navigation lights, shapes and sound signalling equipment.

[52] The version of the COLREGs applicable to the territorial waters of Singapore is the Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Collisions at Sea) Regulations.

[53] The UK version of the COLREGs is provided by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), in the Merchant Shipping (Distress Signals and Prevention of Collisions) Regulations of 1996.

[54] They are distributed and accessed in the form of a "Merchant Shipping Notice" (MSN), which is used to convey mandatory information that must be complied with under UK legislation.

[55] Material published by the MCA is subject to Crown copyright protection, but the MCA allows it to be reproduced free of charge in any format or medium for research or private study, provided it is reproduced accurately and not used in a misleading context.

[56] The US version of the COLREGs is provided by the United States Coast Guard of the US Department of Homeland Security.

[59][60] For example, two power-driven vessels approaching each other head-to-head, are both deemed to be "give way" and both are required to alter course so as to avoid colliding with the other.

[61] In recent years, the IMO, States and other interested parties have assessed the COLREGs with a view to potential future amendment to facilitate Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships.

[62][63][64] These include a regulatory scoping exercise to review the applicability of the COLREGs for autonomous ships.