22.7 Risk of collision

(1) Every vessel must use all available means appropriate to the prevailing circumstances and conditions to determine if the risk of collision exists. If there is any doubt, such risk must be considered to exist.

(2) Proper use must be made of radar equipment, if fitted and operational, including long-range scanning to obtain early warning of the risk of collision and radar plotting or equivalent systematic observation of detected objects.

(3) Assumptions must not be made on the basis of scanty information, especially scanty radar information.

(4) In determining if the risk of collision exists, the following considerations must be among those taken into account—

(a) Such risk must be considered to exist if the compass bearing of an approaching vessel does not appreciably change; and

(b) Such risk may sometimes exist even when an appreciable bearing change is evident, particularly when approaching a very large vessel or a tow or when approaching a vessel at close range.