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A study on the development and trend of COLREGs – A broader perspective

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 November 2023

Wenhai Dong Open the ORCID record for Wenhai Dong [Opens in a new window] ,
Jie Li  and
Xinghua Tu
Wenhai Dong*
Affiliation:
Merchant Marine College, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai, China
Jie Li
Affiliation:
Merchant Marine College, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai, China
Xinghua Tu
Affiliation:
Merchant Marine College, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai, China
*
*Corresponding author: Wenhai Dong; Email: whdong@shmtu.edu.cn
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Abstract

With the rapid development of the maritime industry and the emergence of unmanned ships, it is necessary to continuously review the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (1972, COLREGs). This paper provides an overview of the developing history of the COLREGs and summarises the interpretations made by the International Maritime Organization official and academic scholars. Additionally, the paper discusses the application of the COLREGs in collision avoidance geometry and autonomous collision avoidance systems. Furthermore, the necessity and key points of revisions to adapt to industry advancements are discussed, along with an analysis of the main challenges faced. Finally, in light of the continuous progress and implementation of the outcome of the Regulatory Scoping Exercise for the Use of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS), the paper points out that achieving consistency between manned and unmanned vessels, as well as developing COLREGs-based autonomous collision avoidance systems for more complex scenarios, is expected to be a significant trend in the future.

Keywords

COLREGsdevelopment and trendinterpretation and applicationrevision
Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Navigation , Volume 76 , Issue 4-5 , July 2023 , pp. 577 - 589
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The Royal Institute of Navigation

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