When approaching a traffic separation scheme from outside, what should a vessel do?

• A. Enter the scheme at any point if traffic is light.
• B. Follow the prescribed lane and exit as required; do not cross lanes unless necessary to avoid danger.
• C. Stop and anchor before entering.
• D. Increase speed to cross ahead of traffic.

Answer: (B)

The key idea is to move through a traffic separation scheme by using the designated lanes and exiting at the required point, avoiding crossing lanes unless there is an immediate danger. These schemes are designed to separate opposing flows and reduce collision risk, so vessels are expected to follow the prescribed paths rather than jostle across traffic.

Entering from outside, you align with the lane direction and stay in that lane, continuing until you reach the exit point or until the scheme directs you to leave. Crossing lanes disrupts the predictable traffic pattern and can place you in the path of vessels in other lanes, increasing the chance of collision. Crossing should only be considered to avoid an imminent danger, and even then it must be done with utmost care and awareness of surrounding traffic.

Other approaches—entering at any point because traffic is light, stopping and anchoring before entering, or accelerating to cut across ahead of traffic—ignore the established lane structure and the orderly flow the TSS is designed to maintain, creating unnecessary risk and potential violations of navigation rules.