Collision avoidance radars formed the subject of an Institute meeting held in London in October 1975 (this Journal, 29, 232). The subject has been given a sharper edge by President Carter's message to the U.S. Congress on 18 March 1977 which proposed, amongst other regulations, that all oil tankers over 20,000 dead weight tons which call at American ports, should carry ‘back-up radar systems including collision avoidance equipment’. The issues are highly contentious and the Institute has published a great deal on either side as the debate has grown. The papers which follow describe a research project carried out at the Department of Maritime Studies at Liverpool Polytechnic for Shell International Marine. They were presented at an Institute meeting held at Shell Centre on 17 November 1977 with Captain Ralph Maybourn in the Chair.

J. A. Butt, Head of the Communications and Navigation Department at Shell International Marine, first looks at the investigation from the shipowner's point of view. Captain K. D. Jones, an Extra Master, and Director of Research in Maritime Studies at Liverpool Polytechnic, then discusses the scope of the project and describes the range of experience undertaken. C. G. Rowsell, seconded from Shell Tankers U.K. Fleet to the Operational Services Department, Shell International Marine, finally, gives a detailed account of the investigation and its results. The discussion was opened by Captain A. Wepster, Director, Navigation Research Centre, Netherlands Maritime Institute, and Captain F. J. Wylie, provides a written commentary.