Q 1: What is a vessel?

A: Any type of watercraft, including non displacement craft (Hovercraft), WIG(Wing-in-ground) craft
and seaplanes, used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water.

Q 2: What is Power-driven-vessel ?

A: The term Power-driven-vessel means any vessel, propelled by machinery.

Q 3: What is the meaning of “Underway” ?

A: The word underway means that a vessel is not at anchor, or made fast to shore , or aground. The
following will be considered as a “vessel underway” apart from a vessel not at anchor, or made fast
to shore, or aground:

i) Vessel with engines stopped and not making way through water.
ii) A vessel using an anchor to turn the vessel round in tidal waters
iii) A vessel dredging with tide from ahead.

Q 4: What is the meaning of : Making way” ?

A: A vessel is “making way through water” or not is not defined by whether or not she is using
engines. It is defined by whether or not ship has any speed through water.

 Situation 1: A vessel is moving while approaching a port and it stopped its engine but it is still moving

with a speed of 8 knots.

 Situation 2: A vessel is moving up river with 5 knots speed and with 5 knots against current. So in this

situation even though vessel’s engine is running but the GPS speed would be showing zero.

 Situation 3: A vessel is heading downriver with 5 knots following current. The vessel has its engines

stopped but would be moving with 5 knots GPS speed because of following current.

There is another factor that we need to take into consideration while deciding if the vessel is

underway or making way. We need to know if the vessel is controllable by helm or not.

So in situation 1, vessel still has speed through water. Till the time vessel can alter her course with

the rudder, the vessel is making way. But when the vessel’s speed is reduced below which the

rudder is not effective and ship cannot alter her course, she would be underway.
In situation 2, vessel’s speed over ground is zero but she is still moving with respect to water. So in

this case the vessel is making way through water.

In situation 3, even though vessel is moving with respect to ground, she is stopped with respect to
water. Hence vessel is underway but not making way.

Q 5. What is the meaning of “Vessel not under command” ?

A. It means a vessel which through some exceptional circumstances is unable to manoeuvre as

required be these rules and is therefore unable to keep out of the way of another vessel.

The following may be examples of a vessel NUC:

i) Power driven vessel with Main engine breakdown / steering breakdown

ii) Sailing vessel becalmed (No wind)

iii)A vessel with anchor down but not holding.

Q 6. A power driven vessel more than 50 m in length, speed 15 knots at night suddenly encounters
engine failure. What lights will she display immediately upon engine failure & what lights will she
display upon losing her steerage?

A. Immediately upon engine failure as she will still be making way due to momentum, she will
display two all round red lights in a vertical line where they can best be seen + side lights & a stern
light. Later once her speed is reduced below which the rudder is not effective and ship cannot alter
her course, she would be underway, then she will display only the two all round red lights.

Q 7. What is “Safe Speed” ?

A. Safe speed is the speed at which a vessel can take proper & effective action to avoid collision &
be stopped within a distance appropriate to the prevailing circumstances & conditions. There are
various factors (As per rule 6, part a & b) which have to be taken into account for determining the
safe speed for a vessel. A relatively high speed may be permissible in restricted visibility for vessels
with operational radar & good manoeuvring characteristics when there is little traffic and vessel is in
open seas.

Q 8. You are a PDV & have another PWD CBD on your port bow crossing, risk of collision has been
established, What Action ?

A. As per Rule 18 d(i)Any vessel other than NUC or RAM shall if the circumstances of the case admit,
avoid impeding the safe passage of a vessel CBD. Also as per Rule 8 f(iii) A vessel whose passage is
not to be impeded remains fully obliged to comply with the rules of this part (Part-B Steering &
sailing rules) when the two vessels are approaching one another so as to involve risk of collision,
hence she may alter to stbd. So in this case the PDV can either reduce her speed sufficiently to allow
the CBD vessel to pass ahead of her with safe CPA or alter her course to starboard and go right
round the stern of the vessel CBD.

Q 9. A PDV proceeding along a TSS has Sailing vessel crossing the TSS on her own stbd bow, with
risk of collision. What action will she take?

A. As per Rule 10(j), A sailing vessel shall not impede the safe passage of a PDV following a traffic
lane. However as per Rule 10(a), this rule does not relieve any vessel of her obligation under any
other rule. Also as per Rule 8 f(iii) A vessel whose passage is not to be impeded remains fully obliged
to comply with the rules of this part (Part-B Steering & sailing rules) when the two vessels are
approaching one another so as to involve risk of collision. Hence in this case the PDV can either
reduce her speed to allow the sailing vessel to pass ahead of her or alter her course to stbd.

Q 10. In a crossing situation can a give way PDV alter course to port for another PDV on her stbd
side & cross ahead of her ?

A. Rule 15 (Crossing situation) does not require that the give way vessel HAS TO alter her course to
stbd ONLY & pass the stern of the stand on vessel. In case the stand on PDV is abeam or nearly
abeam on the stbd side, then the give way vessel may make substantial alteration to port to pass
ahead of the stand on vessel. Rule 15 clearly mentions that the give way vessel, shall, if the
circumstances of the case admit avoid crossing ahead of the other vessel.

Q 11. In a crossing situation between two PDV’s involving risk of collision, what action must the
stand on vessel take ?

A. Initially she should maintain her course & speed, however later she may take action to avoid
collision by her manoeuvre alone, as soon as it become apparent to her that the give way vessel is
not taking appropriate action. She should, if the circumstance admit, avoid altering course to port as
the give way vessel may suddenly alter to stbd in compliance with these rules.

Q 12. In restricted visibility, can a PDV overtaking another PDV, alter course to port to avoid
collision?

A. As per Rule 19(d)(i), An alteration of course to port should be avoided for a vessel fwd of the
beam, other than for a vessel being overtaken. Hence in this situation the give way vessel can alter
her course to port to avoid collision.

Q13. Define Masthead light.

A. Masthead light means a white light placed over the fore and aft centreline showing an unbroken
light over an arc of the horizon of 225 deg and so fixed as to show the light from right ahead to 22.5
deg abaft the beam on either side of the vessel.

Q14. Define side light.

Side light means a green light on stbd side and red light on port side each showing an unbroken light
over an arc of the horizon of 112.5 deg and so fixed as to show the light from right ahead to 22.5 deg
abaft the beam on the respective side.
Q15. Define Sternlight.

A.— Sternlight means a white light placed as nearly as practicable at the stern showing an unbroken
light over an arc of horizon of 135 deg and so fixed as to show the light 67.5 deg from right aft on
each side of the vessel.

Q16. What is the visibility of the lights on a vessel 50m or more in length?

i) Masthead light – 6 miles

ii) Sidelight – 3 miles
iii) Stern light – 3 miles
iv) Towing light – 3 miles
v) Red / green / White / yellow all round light – 3 miles

Q17. What lights are shown by a Power driven vessel underway?

A. A PDV underway shall exhibit:

i) A Masthead light forward

ii) A second masthead light abaft of and higher than the forward one, except that a vessel of
less than 50m in length shall not be obliged to exhibit such light but may do so.
iii) Sidelights
iv) A sternlight

Q18. What lights will be displayed by a PDV, while towing?

A.- A PDV when towing shall exhibit:

i) Two masthead lights in a vertical line. When the length of the tow exceeds 200 m, three such
lights in a vertical line.

ii) Side lights

iii)A sternlight

iv)A towing light in a vertical line above the sternlight

The second masthead light must be carried if the towing vessel is 50m or more in length.
Q19. What lights / shapes will be displayed by a vessel engaged in trawling, at anchor?

A.- Vessel engaged in trawling, whether underway or at anchor, shall exhibit:

i) Two all round lights in a vertical line, the upper being green and the lower white, or a shape
consisting of two cones with their apexes together in a vertical line one above the other.

ii)A masthead light abaft of and higher than the all round green light, a vessel <50m in length shall
not be obliged to exhibit such light but may do so.

When making way through water, in addition to the above lights, sidelights & a stern light.

Q20. What lights will be displayed by a vessel Restricted in her ability to manoeuvre?

A.- A vessel RAM shall exhibit:

I) Three all round lights (RWR) in a vertical line where they can best be seen.

ii) Three shapes (Ball-Diamond-Ball) in a vertical line where they can best be seen.

iii)When making way through water, a masthead light or lights, sidelights and a stern light.

Q21. What are the manoeuvring & warning signals used by power driven vessels when underway?

A.- One short blast to mean “ I am altering my course to starboard”

- Two short blast to mean “ I am altering my course to port”

- Three short blasts to mean “ I am operating astern propulsion”

Q22. Can manoeuvring and warning signals be used in fog (restricted visibility) ?

A.- Manoeuvring & warning signals can only be used when vessels are in sight of one another. They
should not be used when vessel is detected by radar at close range but is not visually sighted.

Q23. Describe the sound signals used by a power driven vessel in or near an area of restricted
visibility.

A.- Power driven vessel when making way through water shall sound at intervals of not more than 2
minutes, One prolonged blast. However when underway but stopped & making no way through
water, shall sound at intervals of not more than 2 minutes, two prolonged blasts in succession with
an interval of 2 seconds between them.