6 Factors to Determine Safe Speed for All Ships

According to the regulations in Article 6 of Circular 19/2013/TT-BGTVT, all vessels must always maintain a safe speed to be able to effectively and proactively manage collisions and stop completely within a necessary safe distance under given circumstances and conditions. To determine a safe speed, the following factors need to be considered:

Illustrative image (source: Internet)

First, for all vessels:

- The state of visibility;- Traffic density, including the concentration levels of fishing vessels or any other types of vessels;- Maneuverability, particularly the stopping distance and the capacity to turn under existing conditions;- At night, the presence of background lights such as from shore lights or the scattering of lights from the vessel;- State of wind, sea, current, and the proximity of navigational hazards;- The relationship between the draft of the vessel and the available depth of water.

Second, for vessels equipped with radar:

- The characteristics, efficiency, and limitations of the radar equipment;- Limitations in using radar range scales;- State of the sea, meteorological factors, and other sources of interference that may affect radar target detection;- The potential for radar not detecting small vessels, icebergs, and other floating objects at appropriate distances;- The radar's capability in detecting the number, location, and movement of vessels;- The accurate assessment of visibility when using radar to measure the distance to vessels or nearby targets.

Refer to related regulations in Circular 19/2013/TT-BGTVT, effective from September 15, 2013.

Thu Ba

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