Every vessel shall at all times proceed at a safe speed so that she can take proper and effective action to avoid collision and be stopped within a distance appropriate to the prevailing circumstances and conditions. In determining a safe speed the following factors shall be among those taken into account:

(a)By all vessels:

(i)the state of visibility;

(ii)the traffic density including concentrations of fishing vessels or any other vessels;

(iii)the manoeuvrability of the vessel with special reference to stopping distance and turning ability in the prevailing conditions;

(iv)at night the presence of background light such as from shore lights or from back scatter of her own lights;

(v)the state of wind, sea and current, and the proximity of navigational hazards;

(vi)the draught in relation to the available depth of water.

(b)Additionally, by vessels with operational radar:

(i)the characteristics, efficiency and limitations of the radar equipment;

(ii)any constraints imposed by the radar range scale in use;

(iii)the effect on radar detection of the sea state, weather and other sources of interference;

(iv)the possibility that small vessels, ice and other floating objects may not be detected by radar at an adequate range;

(v)the number, location and movement of vessels detected by radar;

(vi)the more exact assessment of the visibility that may be possible when radar is used to determine the range of vessels or other objects in the vicinity.