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5 Confusing Terms of Ship Navigation and its Clarification

If it wasn’t about safe navigation, no ship would reach its destination safely. But safe navigation is not only about steering a ship. It is also about navigators being crystal clear about rule of the roads and all the terms used in it.

But not all the terms used in COLREGS are simple or easy to understand. For example while COLREGS has defined the responsibilities in a narrow channel, it fails to define narrow channel.

If navigators do not know what is a narrow channel, how can they apply the rule ?

There are many such confusing terms and I am here to discuss some of these.

Let is break these eggs to know the answers.

1. Underway or Making way

These are simple terms but if we go in details of it, it might not look so simple. But what makes it important to differentiate between these two terms is the inclusion of these in COLREGS.

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Comments (53)

Guilherme Pereira February 17, 2022

Congratulations about the post! I would like to include to this distinct list the word "UKC". We all know that "UKC" comes from "Gross Underkeel Clearence" or "Gross UKC" or as usual the simplest and very known "UKC". ...Never forgeting that there is the "Net UKC" that is mentioned in the academic literature as a safety margin, that is one of the factors related to the ship, which PIANC experts call as "Design Water Level " You shoul know that some portuguese spokers make intentionally or non intentionally a very strange translation of these words, that confuse even experts. For instance, this could lead a very dangerous safety of navigation issue. Please take that into consideration, when navigation at South American territorial waters!

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UPD Plastics February 4, 2022

Great information! Thank you for sharing with us. Keep sharing...

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mycarremoval October 25, 2021

I am really happy to say it’s an interesting post to read . I learn new information from your article , you are doing a great job . Keep it up

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Value Market Research August 31, 2021

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Value Market Research July 17, 2021

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Alexform May 3, 2021

hello

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Jordangill May 3, 2021

Hello rajeev sir, you just rock it. Thanks for this guide. I am from minnesota and i frequently read your article, I have one power boat and i generally move it using Citizenshipper haulers in minnesota. https://citizenshipper.com/boat-transportation/minnesota.

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Sanjay February 28, 2021

Thanks Sir for giving your great time..

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Ankur Dwivedi February 8, 2021

Thanks a lot for these important points of colreg.

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Gaurav August 13, 2020

Good day all. Very interesting discussion here wrt making way & underway. I would simply put it as, any vessel which is making a headway should be considered as a vessel "making way" irrespective of the engines running and/ or the vessel being able to maintain its course. I say this simply because if we are to encounter a similar situation in RV and a vessel is stopped and underway and making no way thru water. Now how will you decide on blowing that TWO PROLONGED BLASTS. If your vessel is making headway at a speed of 1 knot and is unable to steer due to lack of speed what would you do? As per all the explanations above this is a case of vessel being underway and therefore you will sound TWO PROLONGED BLASTS. I am afraid I respect your point of view but i beg to differ. I would, as a prudent Master sound ONE PROLONGED BLAST to ensure that the vessels in the vicinity get the correct picture that I am still moving at a speed of 1 knot in some direction. And that will confirmed by the vessel observing me in her RADAR screen too and there is no ambiguity as to weather the vessel showing on radar screen is showing a speed of 1 knot where as the sound signal being heard is of a vessel being stopped. BEFORE WE GIVE OUT THIS TWO PROLONGED BLASTS WE MUST FULLY ENSURE THAT WE ARE NOT MAKING WAY AND ARE COMPLETELY STOPPED AND JUST UNDERWAY. Many may not agree with me but there are instances where the judges have held this view that any vessel making any kind of headway cannot be considered as a vessel underway and not making way. I think the rules are pretty clear with regards to underway and making way. Its just that we need to get a very good grip on understanding the same considering all the aspects at the same time. This can get really confusing at times. Best regards.

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Wooden Ship Kits - Ages of Sail June 9, 2020

That's really informative post. I appreciate your skills, Thanks for sharing.

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avdhesh kumar May 23, 2020

thank you sir, ur blogs are really great. it always helps me.. plz keep ur good work in continued way sir. we need you !! really appreciate it... thanks again.

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Amar anand May 4, 2020

Nice Blog sir

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Harbinder Singh September 20, 2019

@UDAY think of Rule 5 upto your maximum imagination

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Uday August 6, 2018

How to identify the vessel not under command making way and vessel aground at when seen from stern ?

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Harbinder Singh September 20, 2019

@UDAY think of Rule 5 upto your maximum imagination

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Virendra Patel August 3, 2018

Very nicely explained. Thanks a lot!

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Utkarsh Kashyap May 18, 2018

Dear sir, Can you please explain the difference between end-on and head-on??????

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Satish Kumar March 25, 2018

Thank u sir for sharing...Sir u have an article for 4stages of collision

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Pat January 10, 2018

Good professional inputs.... simple and clear.

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Nishant Gautam November 23, 2017

Many thanks sir !

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Rajeev Jassal November 23, 2017

Thanks Nishant...

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About Capt Rajeev Jassal

Capt. Rajeev Jassal has sailed for over 24 years mainly on crude oil, product and chemical tankers. He holds MBA in shipping & Logistics degree from London. He has done extensive research on quantitatively measuring Safety culture onboard and safety climate ashore which he believes is the most important element for safer shipping.