MARINERS COMPETENCIES IN

COLREG CONVENTON

TECHNICAL REPORT

Submitted by:
Allen Jeyv S. Santocildes
Alron C. Plantig
Kert L. Castronuevo

Submitted to:
Emilie C. Coo

For:
Technical Report Writing

May 2022
I. Introduction

The purpose of this report focuses on the competencies of seafarers whom performing deck
duties as it to ensure that the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing
Collisions at Sea, 1972 (COLREG) that includes 41 rules in which divided into six sections: Part
A - General; Part B - Steering and Sailing; Part C - Lights and Shapes; Part D - Sound and Light
signals; Part E - Exemptions; and Part F - Verification of compliance with the provisions of the
Convention was properly followed and its obligations. This report shows how the seafarers
understand this rules and how this protocol apply on watch-keeping, restricted visibility, ship
maneuvering and necessary actions to avoid collisions between vessels.

II. Mariners Competencies

Mariners are often encounter risk of collision at sea where vessel approach each other at their
respective course and actions in which has been executed in the matter of time to avoid collision.
Mariners competencies includes the following: 1) Good seamanship, 2) Level of knowledge, 3)
Deficiencies, 4) Competence of Actions

1) Good Seamanship

A good seamanship is the resultant behavior that can be expected from an average good masters
or officer. It should be noted that a good seaman does not mean the extraordinary ability or an
unusually high degree of care and caution, but a behavior of ordinary, average good seaman
(Ecolregs, 2019). The action should be made in ample time, implies that the assessment of risk of
collision should be made well in time by observing the situation for quite some time and from a
great distance and at regular intervals of time. The assessment and the time of the action should
be made accordingly as amended in the rules of colreg.

A. Observance

Observance are important to achieve good seamanship, as the knowledge applies of what course
of actions should be taken in order to avoid disaster with other vessel, If fail to achieve, the other
rules of colregs cannot be applied and commonly suffers of being incompetent. The ship must

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conform to the practice of good seamanship, it lays upon those in charge of her the duty of taking
account of all the concrete circumstances of the emergency, and of acting with reference to them
in their totality as a skilled seaman of ordinary prudence would act (WMU, 2020). The rules of
colreg asks the seafarers or also called watch keeper on bridge duties is to be vigilant by keeping
their eyes and ear open, using all resources to keep proper look out. Which emphasizes on three
things:

 By all available means. This means that a watch keeper need to use all resources available to
keep a look out. These resources can be VHF, AIS, Radar and ECDIS to name a few.
 Appraisal of situation and risk of collision. This should be the ultimate target of the watch
keeper to keep a look out. A watch keeper need to look out to find any risk of collision with
any vessel.
 Also the watch keeper should know the present situation he is in. He should also be
proactive in assessing the situation he would be in after sometime. For example, he should
take into account the general traffic route (such as in TSS) which may have the other ship
alter her course much before TCPA.

B. Effectiveness

Effectiveness is also important as it mandates in COLREGs which the “ample time” and
“positive actions” are needed in order to adopt necessary good opportunities to avoid
miscalculation and minimize the risk of collision which happens at seas. Good management also
applies as using all available means of using the level of competencies and skills of all crews
inside a vessel in which are working for the safe and secure voyage.

This effectiveness should be apply in the following rules:

 Rule 2, covers the responsibility of the master, owner and crew to comply with the rules.

 Rule 5, which requires that "every vessel shall at all times maintain a proper look-out by

sight and hearing as well as by all available means appropriate in the prevailing

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 circumstances and conditions so as to make a full appraisal of the situation and of the risk of

collision.

 Rule 7, which covering risk of collision, which warns that "assumptions shall not be made

on the basis of scanty information, especially scanty radar information"

 Rule 8, which covers action to be taken to avoid collision.

 Rule 9, which a vessel proceeding along the course of a narrow channel or fairway is obliged

to keep "as near to the outer limit of the channel or fairway which lies on her starboard side

as is safe and practicable.

 Rule 10, which deals with the behaviour of vessels in or near traffic separation schemes.

 Rule 11, says the section applies to vessels in sight of one another.

 Rule 12, states in what action to be taken when two sailing vessels are approaching one

another.

 Rule 13, covers overtaking - the overtaking vessel should keep out of the way of the vessel

being overtaken.

 Rule 14, which deals with head-on situations.

 Rule 15, which covers Crossing situations and;

 Rule 16, which is the action to be taken by the give-way vessel.

2) Level of Knowledge

Level of knowledge means the nature and depth of knowledge, skill, and ability in a particular
type of engagement and education given to a certain person who focuses and understand the
information it has been given. This should be applied to the seafarers whom navigating at seas
which the competency is applied in the matter of experiences, training and education given.
Common understanding are also applied as all mariners are given the same works and identical

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responsibilities for the safe and secure voyage of a ship. The effectiveness which has been given
on the first topic also applied in the second topic.

A. Actions

Mariners are often encounter risk of collisions and apply the rules of collision regulation on the
basis in which the actions are ready to be made in order to avoid disaster. And also what
outcome can be determined in which the given actions have been made to avoid such tragedy
that may be happen at sea. Ready to be made actions are frequent to the mariners in which that
actions are concrete and give a so-called secure outcome of what risks are arise.

B. Understanding

Many mariners have found themselves that some of the rules given on COLREGs are hard to
understand or creates an environment of confusion in which affecting and downgrading the
performance of a mariner which navigating at sea. At some point, many mariners are often cope
up and understands the “rule of the road” in which they experienced or had been taught whom
someone is more superior than them. The flow of time also teaches the mariners to maximize its
potential as many vessel are roaming in the trading routes and the risk collision in a certain route
are high and avoidance are recommended.

C. Competency

The MAIB (Marine Accidents Investigation Branch) safety investigates the accidents from 2003
to 2017, where 55% of all accidents were collisions. It also notes that 19% of the vessels
involved in collision were completely unaware of the other vessel until collision, 24% of them
were aware too late and 57% of them were aware of the other vessel. This investigation is noted
to being an incompetent of the mariners in which the rules are not properly applied and what
action that already been given in the rules has been neglected or not followed in the ample time
which the prevailing circumstances are present and not taking actions properly as the risk are
increasingly high as the vessel are about colliding each other. Competency in maritime are
needed to be always present which been seen to be appropriate to maintain safe navigation and
achieve objective in positive outcome where the disaster can be avoided in the maritime world.

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3) Deficiencies

Deficiencies which are present to mariners which is made them poorly to understand in the
situation which makes the vessel in danger. And making a poorly performance and affecting the
actions which involves maneuvering of a vessel in the right manner and in its place.
Characteristic are also added in the deficiencies of a mariner in which entails their background
character, beliefs, knowledge, and their expertise circling around on its duties which it may
affecting the performance.

A. Lack of information

Information are important and the major knowledge of every mariners in the seas. And its
qualities are the pillar for the actions of mariners at their duties. This has been proven in which
the sufficiency of every information which are around in the mariners knowledge are the tools to
achieve and complete its duties and operations for the safety of navigation. In this matter,
mariners are often poorly remembering their responsibilities as mariners and for the safety of its
vessel and other vessel while sailing through the seas. Lack of information for the use of
instruments inside the ship are also the problem as it result for poor use of its potential to its
targeted utilization.

Mariners whom are completed education still having a difficulty in understanding nearly
identical rules. The issue is that some Rules and/or parts of Rules are more descriptive than
deterministic (e.g., safe speed, reduced visibility, etc. ) are difficult to comprehend or
misunderstand. Some Rules are poorly written and difficult to comprehend. Furthermore, the
translation of COLREGs from English to the official languages of the courses requires special
attention, that is, to the materials and literature available to mariners in their native languages. As
a result, the risk of misinterpretation of the Rules due to a poor translation could be avoided.

B. Lack of talent

The availability and its planning are also affected as the data which compiled from look out are
not fully completed and its evaluation which is made are poor. This indicates more on
comprehensive and creates limitations to the knowledge of the mariners and creates a nature of

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being incompetent on the work. Which result for bad or even worse state of actions which
implemented which the rules are being applied or not.

III. CONCLUSION

This report demonstrate on how the mariners have use their competency on the “rules of the
road” and how they maximize the potential of each rule to ensure the safety of the vessel they
sail and also the safety of other vessel. Establishing standards for collision rules from real
accident cases should also be considered innovative. Developing standards for potential
navigational officers and targeting skill/competencies needed in a unit of study could be used as
a guideline and a benchmark for improving existing Colregs testing standards so that Colregs can
operate in an environment of mutual comprehension, understanding and coordination. The
content of this report are also will rely on the existing Colregs rules with a number of real-time
situations developed from real accidents to test the knowledge of seafarers.

The competencies of every mariners are need to be analyze on how the use their knowledge,
skills, and experiences in COLREGs as one of the pillar of IMO that its convention need to be
followed and use as the basis for voyage to avoid accidents and tragedy at sea which can affect
internationally. This can also measured on how they applied this rules in every circumstances
which arises and what kind of actions should be made to avoid this circumstances.

This revealed that the mariners should be more focused and apply always on the voyage as it
amended in the rules of IMO. This should be understandable and always opened for the mariners
as they keep securing the safety of the vessel, its cargo, the environment, and the other vessel
also. And which its obligation and responsibilities are properly handled which always required to
achieve good seamanship.

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REFERENCES

Acar, U., Ziarati, R., Ziarati, M. (2008). Collisions and groundings – major causes of accidents at
sea. Marifuture papers: 48 - 51. http://www.marifuture.org/Publications/Papers/ Collisions_and_
groundings_major_causes _of_accidents_at_sea.pdf (last accessed, November 2014).

Acar, U., Ziarati, R., Ziarati, M. (2012). An investigation into COLREGs and their application at
sea. Marifuture papers: 40-47.

European maritime safety agency. (2010). Maritime accident review.

http://emsa.europa.eu/publications/technical-reports-studies-and-plans/item/1219-maritime-
accident-review-2010.html (September 2014)

Macrae, C. Human factors at sea: common patterns of error in groundings and collisions.
Maritime Policy & Management: The flagship journal of international shipping and port
research: 33.(January, 2020)

European maritime safety agency. (2010) Maritime accident review.

http://emsa.europa.eu/publications/technical-reports-studies-and-plans/item/1219-maritime-
accident-review-2010.html (October 2014)

IMO Publications (2003). COLREG – Convention on the International Regulations for

Preventing Collisions at Sea 1972, Consolidated Edition 2003, London.
http://limesurvey.c4ff.co.uk/index.php?r=survey/index/sid/613743/lang/en (January 2015).

Llana, C., Wisneskey, G. 2006. A short history of the rules. Handbook of The Nautical Rules of
The Road. http://navruleshandbook.com/index.html (March, 2019)

Ziarati Reza,‘Safety At Sea Applying Pareto Analysis’, Proceedings of World

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