22.6 Safe speed

Every vessel must at all times proceed at a safe speed so that proper and effective action to avoid a collision can be taken and the vessel can be stopped within a distance appropriate to the prevailing circumstances and conditions.

In determining a safe speed, the following factors must be among those taken into account—

(1) For all vessels—

(a) the state of visibility:

(b) the traffic density, including concentrations of fishing vessels or any other vessels:

(c) the manoeuvrability of the vessel, with special reference to stopping distance and turning ability in the prevailing conditions:

(d) at night, the presence of background light such as from shore lights or from the back scatter of the vessel’s own lights:

(e) the state of wind, sea, and current, and the proximity of navigational hazards:

(f) the draught in relation to the available depth of water.

(2) Additionally, for vessels with operational radar—

(a) the characteristics, efficiency, and limitations of the radar equipment:

(b) any constraints imposed by the radar range scale in use:

(c) the effect on radar detection of the sea state, weather, and other sources of interference:

(d) the possibility that small vessels, ice, and other floating objects may not be detected by radar at an adequate range:

(e) the number, location, and movement of vessels detected by radar:

(f) the more exact assessment of the visibility that may be possible when radar is used to determine the range of vessels or other objects in the vicinity.