“Alexandra 1”, “Ever Smart”, vessels, collision, Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates, UK Supreme Court Home Publications Articles Smart Thinking Smart Thinking Publications Ian Freeman Published: April 21, 2021 Contact author Download article pdf The 2021 decision of the UK Supreme Court on the application of the Crossing and Narrow Channel Rules within the Collision Regulations – the Alexandra 1 c/w Ever Smart [2021] UKSC 6 Image On 11 February 2015 a serious collision occurred between the laden tanker “Alexandra 1” and the container vessel “Ever Smart” off the port of Jebel Ali in the United Arab Emirates. The collision raised questions of an apparent conflict in the application of the Crossing and Narrow Channel Rules within the Steering and Sailing Rules of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS). This was the first decision of the UK’s highest court in an admiralty case in 45 years and it looked closely at the factors that apply in determining if risk of collision exists, and the importance of the Crossing Rule within the overall scheme of the COLREGS. The decision provides clarity to the benefit of mariners and admiralty practitioners alike. The essence of the problem lay with a close quarters situation developing between one ship, the “Ever Smart”, navigating along a narrow channel and the other, the “Alexandra 1”, approaching but yet to enter the channel. This called into question whether the Crossing Rule dictated the respective responsibilities of the ships in avoiding a collision or whether the Narrow Channel Rule displaced the obligations under the Crossing Rule. Recognising the importance to mariners of its decision, the Supreme Court delivered a lengthy reasoning coming down firmly in favour of the Crossing Rule and warning that its importance lay at the very heart of the COLREGS and should not be discarded lightly. The Facts The facts of the collision are relatively straightforward. The container vessel “Ever Smart” was pr