Rule 6 - Safe Speed

Overview

“ ”

Rule 6 - Safe Speed

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

In determining a safe speed the following factors shall be among those taken into account:

1. By all vessels:
   1. the state of visibility;
   2. the traffic density including concentrations of fishing vessels or any other vessels;
   3. the manoeuvrability of the vessel with special reference to stopping distance and turning ability in the prevailing conditions;
   4. at night the presence of background light such as from shore lights or from backscatter of her own lights;
   5. the state of wind, sea and current, and the proximity of navigational hazards;
   6. the draught in relation to the available depth of water.
2. Additionally, by vessels with operational radar:
   1. the characteristics, efficiency and limitations of the radar equipment;
   2. any constraints imposed by the radar range scale in use;
   3. the effect on radar detection of the sea state, weather and other sources of interference;
   4. the possibility that small vessels, ice and other floating objects may not be detected by radar at an adequate range;
   5. the number, location and movements of vessels detected by radar;
   6. 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.