Question 1

Your examiner asks you to review a fictional MAIB-style near-miss summary: two vessels closed to 0.2nm in a crossing situation; the give-way vessel took no action until very late; the stand-on vessel also took no independent action despite the closing range. As Chief Officer, what's the key lesson for your own bridge team, beyond "the give-way vessel should have acted sooner"?

Accepted Answer

The stand-on vessel's inaction is just as significant a failure here — Rule 17(a)(ii) and 17(b) exist precisely so the stand-on vessel isn't a passive bystander once it becomes apparent the give-way vessel isn't acting appropriately; a bridge team culture that treats 'stand-on' as 'do nothing and hope' rather than 'monitor closely and be ready to act' is a real and recurring contributor to near-miss and collision investigations, not just a technical rule violation This uses a MAIB-style scenario (per this skill's guidance on reframing casualty/near-miss material as command-judgement questions) to test whether a Chief Officer can extract the less obvious lesson — that stand-on passivity, not just give-way delay, is a genuine and teachable failure mode, and that a well-run bridge team should treat 'stand-on' as an active monitoring role rather than a legal shield for inaction.

Question 2

Rule 5 (Look-out) requires every vessel at all times to maintain a proper look-out by sight and hearing, as well as by all available means appropriate in the prevailing circumstances and conditions — and this duty applies even when the vessel is at anchor in a busy anchorage.

Accepted Answer

True True. Rule 5 applies 'at all times' and to 'every vessel'. A vessel at anchor in a busy anchorage still needs an effective look-out to detect drifting vessels, dragging anchors, or approaching traffic that may pose a risk of collision or contact.

Question 3

Under Rule 6 (Safe Speed), a vessel fitted with a fully operational radar and ARPA never needs to reduce speed in restricted visibility, because the equipment guarantees early detection of other vessels.

Accepted Answer

False False. Rule 6 explicitly lists radar capability as one factor to consider, but also requires accounting for the state of visibility, traffic density, manoeuvrability, and the limitations of radar (range scale, sea/rain clutter, blind sectors). Even a vessel with excellent radar must proceed at a speed that allows proper and effective action to avoid collision and to be stopped within a distance appropriate to the prevailing circumstances.