IALACOLREG
14

Head-on Situation

When two power-driven vessels are meeting head-on, each shall alter course to starboard to pass port to port.

Rule 14 addresses head-on situations between power-driven vessels.

a
When two power-driven vessels are meeting on reciprocal or nearly reciprocal courses so as to involve risk of collision each shall alter her course to starboard so that each shall pass on the port side of the other.
b
Such a situation shall be deemed to exist when a vessel sees the other ahead or nearly ahead and by night she could see the masthead lights of the other in a line or nearly in a line and/or both sidelights.
c
When a vessel is in any doubt as to whether such a situation exists she shall assume that it does exist and act accordingly.

STCW Bridge Watch Lens

1

Decide applicability before manoeuvring: Rules 4-10 apply in any visibility, Rules 11-18 only when vessels are in sight, and Rule 19 governs radar-only encounters in restricted visibility.

2

Build the traffic picture with sight, hearing, radar/ARPA and chart context. Do not let AIS or one isolated bearing replace systematic observation.

3

After manoeuvring, keep monitoring bearing, range, CPA/TCPA and passing distance until the other vessel is finally past and clear.

Exam Focus

1

Identify the vessel types first, then the relative bearing, then whether one vessel is overtaking. Misclassifying the encounter is the usual exam failure.

2

If two rules seem to conflict, check the order carefully: overtaking duties still apply, and Rule 2 still requires ordinary seamanship.

Key Takeaways

1

Both vessels alter to starboard — pass port to port

2

Head-on is when you see both sidelights or masthead lights in line

3

If in doubt, assume it is a head-on situation

4

Only applies to power-driven vessels

Common Mistakes

Altering to port in a head-on situation

Not recognizing a nearly head-on situation as head-on

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