Action by vessels in high traffic areas / congested waters - Navigational guideline for ship
What is congested water ?
High density traffic waters ( referred to as "Congested waters") means:
An area of water where due to presence of many vessels in the vicinity, a repeated risk of collision exists and it may be difficult for own vessel to maintain her course.
An area of water where the situation repeatedly arises in which a vessel is likely to collide with another vessel and an action to avoid a collision is limited by the existence of a third vessel or fixed structure, or where such situation is expected to arise.
Action of officer of the watch in congested waters
The OOW must always be aware of the possibility of navigation in congested waters, and if the vessel is expected to navigate such areas, he must take the following action:
Early evacuation from the congested area, if possible.
Arrangement of Lookout(s).
Report to the Master.
Test of manual steering or changeover to manual steering.
Contact with Engineers, if necessary.
Reduction to a safe speed, if required.
Running in Parallel of Power units of Steering gears.
Action of the masters in congested waters
The Master, when the vessel is in congested waters or upon receiving the report from the OOW above, must confirm the situation and increase officers or ratings for lookout as required. He shall take over the command of the vessel.
Acttion of the master and officer of the watch in restricted visibility conditions :
If the vessel encounters congested waters under restricted visibility conditions, the Master and OOW must navigate the vessel carefully according to the provisions of the "Procedures for Navigation in Restricted Visibility Conditions" in addition to those outlined above.
Related Information
Notable areas of congested water
Navigational procedures for ship in confined water
Collecting Information and Data for Passage Planning
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