PART AGENERAL

1
Rule

Application

These Rules shall apply to all vessels upon the high seas and in all
waters connected therewith navigable by seagoing vessels.

Nothing in these Rules shall interfere

with the
rules made by an appropriate operation of special
authority for roadsteads,
rivers, lakes or inland harbours,
waterways connected with the
navigable by seagoing vessels. Such
high seas and
special rules shall conform
closely as possible to these Rules.
as
Ic)
Nothing in these Rules shallinterfere
with the
rules made operation of any special
by the Government of
station or any State with
signal lights, or whistle respectto additional
vessels
shapes
signals for ships of war
or
proceeding under or
convoy, with and
signal lights or respect to
shapes for fishing vessels additional station
fleet.These
additional station
or engaged in fishing as a

( shall,

light,

Traffic
the
so far as

purpose of these
authorized

separation schemes

Rules.
may
signal lights,
possible, be such that
shape or signal
shapes or whistle
they cannot be
elsewhereunder
be
adopted by the
these Rules.
signals
mistaken for
any

e) Organization for
Whenever the
Government
concerned shall
have
determined that a
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 vessel of special construction or
purpose cannot
provisions of any of these Rules with comply fully with
respect to the number the
range or arc of visibility of lightsor shapes, as well as
the
and characteristics of to the position,
sound-signalling dispositio
appliances, such vessel
comply with such other provisions in regard to the shall
range or arc of visibility of lights
number,
orshapes,as well as to the position,
and characteristics of disposition
sound-signalling appliances, as her
shall have determined to be the closest Government
poSsible
these Rules in respect of that vessel. compliance with

Rule 2
Responsibility

(a) 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.

(b) In
construing and complyingwith these Rules due regardshall be had
to all of navigation and collision and to any special
dangers
Circumstances, including the limitations of the vessels involved,which
may make a departure from these Rules necessary to avoid immediduc
danger.

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CHAPTER 1. PRELIMINARY AND DEFINITIONNS
the programme, you will be asked to read the
Atthe beginning of each chapter and occasionally during
for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972, as amended in 2016.
rolevant part of the International Regulations
will refer to these Regulations as the Rules.
For the sake of brevity, the programme

do so or when you feel need to do

are specifically asked to you
to the Rules only when you
really
Refer
SO.

(c) and (e).

the Rules and read once through Rule l (a), (b),
Now turn to

1
Ifthe Rule ofthe Road is to be effective in
preventing collisions at sea, it must he rmads
apply and who is bound to follow them.Rule (a),(b)and (c)is
1

designed to makethis clear

where
it states that: pointclear.In these
simplifieta

If you anre in chargeof any vessel capable of

being used for transport on water,
then you
must obeytheRules
except
and they are modified by where
any
made by Special Rules
the Government of
any state.
if that vessel is on the high seas, or any navigable
waters connected with the high seas,

Supposeyou were in charge of amotor launch in the tidal waters ofthe River Thames and you encounti
anote
manned boat. Should you obey the Rules?

2
Yes.You would be using a vesscl for transport on navigable waters connected with the high seas.

Governments are allowed to make modifications to the Rules with respect to:

or whistlc signals for warships and vessels proceeding under convoy.

additional station orsignal lights

and

station orsignal lights for vessels engaged in fishing as a fleet.

of any vessel capable of being

Ifyou are in charge
used for transport on water,
then you must obey the Rules except where
and they are moditied by. made
by Governments.
if that vessel is on the high seas, or any navigable
waters connected with the high seas,

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 Rules
Special bey the Rules

of states to cover roadsteads, harhow

be made by Governments dKes or
Rules may also you may be on waterwayswhere

inla
Special to any of these, ments nave and (e) defines the term "vessel"and
a vessel on impoule 3 (a), (6), (¢)
terways. If you take
e various types of vessel to which the Rules are
Rules.
Special
are no Special Rules so Pplicable.
and in many estuaries, however, there
seas
On the high

he word "vessel" includes every description of water

of any vessel capable of being WIG craft and
if you are in charge raft, including non-displacement craft,

used

and
for transport on water,
then you must.. .. exce
where they are modified by Special Rules
excaplanes.
mad
"seaplane" includes any
to
by Governments. aircraft designed

is on the high seas, or any navigable nanoeuvre upon water.

if that vessel

waters connected with the high seas.

multi-modal
"Wing-In-Ground" (WIG craft) means
a

flies in close
raft which, in its main operational mode,

roximity to the surface by utilising surface-effect

ction.

a vessel for
Which of these three illustrations represents

he purpose of the Rules?