Page 68 - Collision Avoidance Rules Guide

An amendment to paragraph (a) was adopted by the 22nd
Assembly of IMO, by which a direct link is established between
Rule 8 on Action to Avoid Collision and the other Steering and
Sailing Rules of Part B.
The reason for this amendment was that reports of collision cases
indicated that at times in head-on, near head-on encounters or in fine
crossing situations Rule 8 and in particular Rule 8 (d) was applied in
isolation of the other Steering and Sailing Rules, resulting in con-
flicting actions and collisions.
In December 2002 IMO issued a Safety of Navigation Circular
(SN Circular 226) on DANGERS OF CONFLICTING ACTION IN
COLLISION AVOIDANCE explaining the above mentioned reason
for the amendment of Rule 8(a).

‘Conflicting actions may occur in head-on or near head-on encounters
where one ship takes avoiding action by turning to port and the other ship
by turning to starboard.
In investigations of collision cases the turn to port was explained to achieve
a safe passing distance in accordance with Rule 8(d). The ship which took the
avoiding action by turning to port ignored the possibility of initiating a con-
flicting action. An avoiding action to starboard by the approaching ship, in
accordance with the other Steering and Sailing Rules in Sections II and I11 of
Part B, was not anticipated.
The collision which occurred off the coast of South Africa in 1977
between the vessels Venoil and Venpet is an example of conflicting action in
a head-on situation. The vessels were approaching each other on reciprocal
courses in restricted visibility. Venoil made a series of small alterations of
course to starboard to increase the port-to-port passing distance. Verzpet
made small alterations of course to port to increase the starboard to star-
board passing distance.’

Maloja 11-John M

The structure of the Collision Regulations is designed to ensure that,
whenever possible, ships will not reach a close-quarters situation in which
there is risk of collision and in which decisions have to be taken without
time for proper thought. Manceuvres taken to avoid a close-quarters situa-
tion should be taken at a time when the responsible officer does not have to
make a quick decision or a decision based on inadequate information. Those
manceuvres should be such as to be readily apparent to the other ship. The
errors of navigation which I regard as the most serious are those errors
which are made by an officer who has time to think. At such time there is no

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