COLREG / Inland Waterway Traffic Rules (CEVNI and National Supplements)
CEVNI is the European Code for Inland Waterways; the exam tests the rules of the road, marks and signals, plus the Hungarian national supplements for the Danube and Lake Balaton.
The rule hierarchy
- CEVNI sets general obligations: continuous look-out by sight and hearing, safe speed, no unnecessary wash, no obstruction of the fairway, readiness to give way.
- When two motor vessels meet head-on, both alter to starboard (port-to-port).
- Overtaking: the overtaking vessel keeps clear, signals its intention, and overtakes only when the other vessel has room and has not signalled refusal.
- Give way to vessels not under command, restricted in ability to manoeuvre, ferries not freely manoeuvring, and dredgers or works showing the prescribed marks.
- National supplements add local speed limits, no-wash zones, priority orders at specific bridge arches and locks, and rules for the Hungarian Danube and Balaton.
Marks and signals
A blue cone by day and blue light by night mark a vessel carrying dangerous goods: keep your distance and do not smoke nearby. Sound signals: one short = altering to starboard, two short = to port, three short = engines going astern, one long = warning at bends or when leaving a berth.
Worked example
You are ascending at 9 km/h behind a 90 m pushed convoy making 6 km/h on a straight reach with a bridge 800 m ahead. Check the reach beyond the bridge; sound the overtaking signal; the convoy acknowledges and moves to the correct side; only then increase speed and pass with clearance, still keeping clear. If it refuses, or the bridge narrows the fairway within the manoeuvre, abandon the overtake.
Traps
Quoting COLREG in inland waters; assuming the descending vessel always has priority where no such rule is posted; missing CEVNI prohibition signs; ignoring no-wash limits near moored vessels and banks.