What do Navigation Rules aim to prevent?

Navigation Rules are specifically designed to promote safe navigation and prevent accidents on the water, with a primary focus on reducing the likelihood of collisions between vessels. These rules establish a framework for vessel operation, including right-of-way, signaling, and operational conduct, to ensure that all mariners understand their responsibilities while navigating. By following these guidelines, mariners can maintain situational awareness and react appropriately to other vessels, thereby minimizing the risks associated with close encounters and potential collisions.

The other options, while relevant to maritime operations in different contexts, do not align with the core purpose of Navigation Rules. Storms at sea cannot be mitigated through rules, as they are natural events, and marine biodiversity loss is addressed through environmental regulations and conservation practices rather than navigational rules. Ship equipment failures pertain more to maintenance and operational procedures than to navigation itself, further illustrating why the primary aim of Navigation Rules is collision prevention.