22.14 Head-on situation

(1) When two power-driven vessels are meeting on reciprocal or nearly reciprocal courses so as to involve risk of collision, each must alter its course to starboard so that each passes on the port side of the other.

(2) Such a situation will be considered to exist when a vessel sees the other ahead or nearly ahead and—

(a) by night, the masthead lights of the other vessel are in line or nearly in line and/or both sidelights are visible; or

(b) by day, the corresponding aspect of the other vessel is observed.

(3) When a vessel is in any doubt as to whether such a situation exists, it must assume that it does and act accordingly.