What should vessels be monitoring continuously during navigation?

Monitoring other vessels' positions and movements is crucial for safe navigation at sea. This practice is a fundamental requirement under the COLREGs, which emphasizes the importance of maintaining situational awareness to prevent collisions. By being aware of the locations and trajectories of nearby vessels, a ship can make informed decisions regarding course adjustments, speed changes, and other maneuvers needed to maintain a safe distance and avoid potential hazards.

Continuous monitoring of other vessels allows for proactive responses to close-quarter situations, ensuring that navigational safety is upheld. It is particularly critical in congested waterways and at times of reduced visibility, where the risk of collision increases.

While being aware of weather changes, one's own speed, and maintaining navigation logs are important aspects of navigation, these factors are secondary to the necessity of monitoring other vessels. Weather changes can impact navigation but do not directly prevent collisions. Similarly, being aware of one's own speed and keeping navigation logs are part of effective seamanship but do not replace the need for vigilance regarding nearby marine traffic.