3. Ship collision risk assessment for the Singapore Strait
3.1. Speed analysis
Based on the updated ship movement records, the vessel speeds in the Strait are assessed to be relatively low with the exception of only 3.18% records reflecting speeds in excess of 25 knots. The probable explanation could be that the speed limit in most legs of the Strait is 12 knots. Therefore, absolute speed may not be qualified as a reliable risk index in contrast to speed dispersion. Based on the consultations and discussions with several experienced ship captains, we concluded that it was reasonable that greater differences in speed among vessels are related to a higher collision risk.