The Inland Rules do not apply to U.S. vessels on Canadian waters of the Great Lakes.

The Inland Rules do not apply to U.S. vessels on Canadian waters of the Great Lakes.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. It depends
• D. Only commercial vessels

Answer: (B)

The key idea here is which set of collision-avoidance rules governs vessels on the Great Lakes. The Inland Navigation Rules cover navigable inland waters of the United States and the Great Lakes, and there is a bilateral framework that applies these Inland Rules to vessels on the Great Lakes regardless of which side of the border they’re on. So a U.S. vessel operating in Canadian waters of the Great Lakes is still bound by Inland Rules. That’s why the statement is false—the Inland Rules do apply in that area. In contrast, the International Rules (COLREGs) govern the high seas and waters not covered by inland rules.

The key idea here is which set of collision-avoidance rules governs vessels on the Great Lakes. The Inland Navigation Rules cover navigable inland waters of the United States and the Great Lakes, and there is a bilateral framework that applies these Inland Rules to vessels on the Great Lakes regardless of which side of the border they’re on. So a U.S. vessel operating in Canadian waters of the Great Lakes is still bound by Inland Rules. That’s why the statement is false—the Inland Rules do apply in that area. In contrast, the International Rules (COLREGs) govern the high seas and waters not covered by inland rules.