Safety of ship overtaking maneuvers in restricted waters

Abstract: The safety of ship overtaking maneuvers is a crucial element in navigation within restricted waters. The difficulty of performing a correct maneuver is conditioned by numerous factors that reduce the available maneuvering area and by the type of maneuver undertaken. The article presents the causes of ship collisions during overtaking in restricted waters. The probability of overtaking another ship depending on the width of the fairway and the type of maneuver undertaken is presented.1. INTRODUCTION
Overtaking of ships constitutes a significant safety problem in maritime transport due to the increase in ship traffic intensity and the size of the vessels. The problem of safe maneuvering and collision-free operation of ships concerns primarily restricted waters – areas where the available maneuvering space is reduced, among other things, by conditions related to local regulations and bathymetric conditions. These restrictions are static in nature: straits, canals, fairways. Dynamic restrictions include other ships moving in the area under consideration, as well as hydrometeorological phenomena (the impact of waves, wind, and water currents). In open areas, without restrictions related to depth, width, or length of the water area, performing maneuvers to avoid collision during overtaking is an issue devoid of factors reducing the available maneuvering area. Thanks to this, the available anti-collision systems on ships are sufficient to avoid collision situations. (…)

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