Published online by Cambridge University Press: 18 January 2010
Rule 25 of the Collision Regulations lays down that, when it is safe and practicable, ships in narrow channels shall keep to the starboard side. The idea behind routing is to extend this type of organization to areas where, because of the concentration of traffic, the problem begins to resemble that of narrow channels. In the open sea a busy route presents no great problem. But where shipping lanes converge the collision problem often becomes serious. This is to a large extent a modern problem which has arisen not only with the increase in maritime traffic, but also with the ability of ships to navigate where they will. Further, the average speed of ships, in all conditions, has greatly increased.