46 CFR 140.630: Lookout assessment on towing vessels

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026

This section requires the master and officer in charge of the navigational watch to assess whether a lookout is needed throughout the trip or voyage. A lookout should be added when necessary for vigilance and hazard detection. The officer in charge of the navigational watch must weigh relevant factors such as weather and visibility.

What it says

  1. Throughout the trip or voyage, the master and officer in charge of the navigational watch must assess the requirement for a lookout, consistent with 33 CFR 83.05.

    46 CFR 140.630(a)“Throughout the trip or voyage the master and officer in charge of the navigational watch must assess the requirement for a lookout, consistent with 33 CFR 83.05.”

  2. A lookout in addition to the master or mate (pilot) should be added when necessary to carry out the tasks listed in paragraphs (a)(1) through (a)(4).

    46 CFR 140.630(a)“A lookout in addition to the master or mate (pilot) should be added when necessary to:”

  3. An added lookout should help maintain a state of vigilance with regard to any significant change in the operational environment.

    46 CFR 140.630(a)(1)“Maintain a state of vigilance with regard to any significant change in the operational environment;”

  4. An added lookout should help assess the situation and the risk of collision/allision.

    46 CFR 140.630(a)(2)“Assess the situation and the risk of collision/allision;”

  5. An added lookout should help anticipate stranding and other dangers to navigation, and detect any other potential hazards to safe navigation.

    46 CFR 140.630(a)(3)“Anticipate stranding and other dangers to navigation; and”

  6. In determining the requirement for a lookout, the officer in charge of the navigational watch must take full account of relevant factors, including but not limited to weather, visibility, traffic density, proximity of dangers to navigation, and the attention needed in areas of increased vessel traffic.

    46 CFR 140.630(b)“the officer in charge of the navigational watch must take full account of relevant factors including, but not limited to: state of weather, visibility, traffic density, proximity of dangers to navigation”

Common questions

Who decides whether a towing vessel needs a lookout?

The master and the officer in charge of the navigational watch must assess the requirement for a lookout throughout the trip or voyage. This must be consistent with 33 CFR 83.05.

“Throughout the trip or voyage the master and officer in charge of the navigational watch must assess the requirement for a lookout, consistent with 33 CFR 83.05.”

When should an extra lookout be added on a towing vessel?

A lookout in addition to the master or mate (pilot) should be added when necessary for the purposes listed in paragraphs (a)(1) through (a)(4), such as assessing the risk of collision/allision.

“A lookout in addition to the master or mate (pilot) should be added when necessary to:”

What factors must be considered when deciding on a lookout?

The officer in charge of the navigational watch must take full account of relevant factors, including weather, visibility, traffic density, and proximity of dangers to navigation. The list is not limited to these factors.

“the officer in charge of the navigational watch must take full account of relevant factors including, but not limited to: state of weather, visibility, traffic density, proximity of dangers to navigation”

The text of 46 CFR 140.630

Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), current as of April 16, 2026 · Read it on eCFR

Lookout

(a) Throughout the trip or voyage the master and officer in charge of the navigational watch must assess the requirement for a lookout, consistent with 33 CFR 83.05. A lookout in addition to the master or mate (pilot) should be added when necessary to:

(1) Maintain a state of vigilance with regard to any significant change in the operational environment;

(2) Assess the situation and the risk of collision/allision;

(3) Anticipate stranding and other dangers to navigation; and

(4) Detect any other potential hazards to safe navigation.

(b) In determining the requirement for a lookout, the officer in charge of the navigational watch must take full account of relevant factors including, but not limited to: state of weather, visibility, traffic density, proximity of dangers to navigation, and the attention necessary when navigating in areas of increased vessel traffic.

Sections it refers to

The plain-English explanation on this page was written with AI from the regulation text above and checked automatically before publishing: every quote appears in the text, every number comes from it, and a second model confirmed each statement adds nothing the text doesn't say. Regulation text current as of April 16, 2026. The regulation text governs. RegKnot is not affiliated with the U.S. Coast Guard.