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Colregs Rule 14 Head On Situation

Rule 14 states that when two power-driven vessels are meeting head-on or nearly head-on, both vessels must alter their course to starboard so that they pass port side to port side. This rule applies when a vessel sees another ahead or nearly ahead by night or day. If there is any doubt about a head-on situation existing, a vessel must assume the situation exists and act accordingly by altering course to starboard.

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257 views1 page

Colregs Rule 14 Head On Situation

Rule 14 states that when two power-driven vessels are meeting head-on or nearly head-on, both vessels must alter their course to starboard so that they pass port side to port side. This rule applies when a vessel sees another ahead or nearly ahead by night or day. If there is any doubt about a head-on situation existing, a vessel must assume the situation exists and act accordingly by altering course to starboard.

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Alex Moreno García
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© © All Rights Reserved
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COLREGS

RULE 14: HEAD-ON SITUATION


(a) When two power-driven vessels are meeting on

reciprocal or nearly reciprocal courses so as to involve


risk of collision each shall alter her course to starboard
so that each shall pass on the port side of the other.

(b) Such a situation shall be deemed to exist when a vessel


sees the other ahead or nearly ahead and by night she
would see the mast head lights of the other in a line or
nearly in a line and or both sidelights and by day she
observes the corresponding aspect of the other vessel.

(c) When a vessel is in any doubt as to whether such

a situation exists she shall assume that it does exist


and act accordingly.

SHIP AHEAD
If there is a ship ahead you should alter course to starboard.
The ship does not need to be exactly right ahead Rule 14 applies
to any vessel coming towards you on a roughly opposite course and
roughly within half a point (6 or 7 degrees) on either side of your bow.
At night, if you can see the other ships masthead lights and/or both
its sidelights, then Rule 14 applies. If you are not sure, then Rule 14
still applies.
To understand Rule 14, you must also understand Rule 8 on action
to avoid a collision and Rule 16 on action by the give-way vessel.
Rule 8(a) says, Any action to avoid collision shall be taken in
accordance with the Rules of this Part (this Part being the
steering and sailing rules). This means that if you have a vessel
fine to starboard, even some distance away, altering to port to
increase the green to green clearance may not be in accordance
with the COLREGs.
If there is any risk of collision then you should always go to
starboard, as Rule 14 says.
Rule 16 says that if you are to keep out of the way, you must take
early and substantial action. This means you should alter your
course good and early.
Do not wait for the other vessel to act. The closer you get, the bigger
the alteration you will have to make.

SUMMARY
Always alter course to starboard when you see a ship approaching
you from ahead.

The North of England P&I Association Limited, The Quayside, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 3DU, UK
Telephone: +44 191 232 5221 Facsimile: +44 191 261 0540 E-Mail: loss.prevention@nepia.com www.nepia.com

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