When Ship Lights Become a Navigation Hazard

A ship can be easy to see at night and still be difficult to read.In this episode, we look at how deck lights, accommodation lighting and floodlights can interfere with the navigation lights that bridge teams rely on to judge vessel aspect, movement and collision risk. The discussion also considers what the COLREGs require and why the complete night-time appearance of a modern ship deserves more attention.Read the full DeepDraft analysis:https://thedeepdraft.com/2026/09/21/navigating-in-a-sea-of-visual-pollution/