Operationalizing COLREG exemptions and equivalents: Data-driven evidence via association rule mining and network analysis

Taha Talip Türkistanlı

doi:10.33714/masteb.1855338

Operationalizing COLREG exemptions and equivalents: Data-driven evidence via association rule mining and network analysis

Abstract

While the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREG) establish universal design and operational standards to ensure maritime safety, the practical implementation of legal flexibility through exemptions and equivalents remains a critical yet under-examined aspect of regulatory compliance for modern and specialized vessels. This study investigates how these mechanisms are operationalized by analyzing official notifications submitted by national administrations to the International Maritime Organization (IMO). A structured dataset of 1,281 verified COLREG-related cases was extracted from 12,834 notifications spanning 2012 to 2025 using a hybrid pattern-mining and text-normalization method. The data were then analyzed using a methodological framework comprising association rule mining, network analysis, and statistical tests to uncover structural, relational, and temporal patterns. Findings reveal that notifications concentrate within a few frequently coupled rule sets, with issues varying systematically by vessel type and over time. Rather than isolating individual clauses, the evidence points to coordinated adjustments reflecting practical design constraints, administrative practices, and evolving technologies. The resulting data-driven framework exposes structural regularities in vessel design conflicts, providing insights to inform survey practices, support consistent decision-making, and facilitate future policy development.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Maritime Business Administration , Marine Transportation , Maritime Transportation Engineering

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Taha Talip Türkistanlı ^*
0000-0003-4903-6138
Türkiye

Early Pub Date

March 11, 2026

Publication Date

March 11, 2026

Submission Date

January 3, 2026

Acceptance Date

February 11, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 15 Number: 1

DOI

https://doi.org/10.33714/masteb.1855338

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA75EK73CF

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Türkistanlı, T. T. (2026). Operationalizing COLREG exemptions and equivalents: Data-driven evidence via association rule mining and network analysis. Marine Science and Technology Bulletin, 15(1), 9-27. https://doi.org/10.33714/masteb.1855338

AMA

1.Türkistanlı TT. Operationalizing COLREG exemptions and equivalents: Data-driven evidence via association rule mining and network analysis. Mar. Sci. Tech. Bull. 2026;15(1):9-27. doi:10.33714/masteb.1855338

Chicago

Türkistanlı, Taha Talip. 2026. “Operationalizing COLREG Exemptions and Equivalents: Data-Driven Evidence via Association Rule Mining and Network Analysis”. Marine Science and Technology Bulletin 15 (1): 9-27. https://doi.org/10.33714/masteb.1855338.

EndNote

Türkistanlı TT (March 1, 2026) Operationalizing COLREG exemptions and equivalents: Data-driven evidence via association rule mining and network analysis. Marine Science and Technology Bulletin 15 1 9–27.

IEEE

[1]T. T. Türkistanlı, “Operationalizing COLREG exemptions and equivalents: Data-driven evidence via association rule mining and network analysis”, Mar. Sci. Tech. Bull., vol. 15, no. 1, pp. 9–27, Mar. 2026, doi: 10.33714/masteb.1855338.

ISNAD

Türkistanlı, Taha Talip. “Operationalizing COLREG Exemptions and Equivalents: Data-Driven Evidence via Association Rule Mining and Network Analysis”. Marine Science and Technology Bulletin 15/1 (March 1, 2026): 9-27. https://doi.org/10.33714/masteb.1855338.

JAMA

1.Türkistanlı TT. Operationalizing COLREG exemptions and equivalents: Data-driven evidence via association rule mining and network analysis. Mar. Sci. Tech. Bull. 2026;15:9–27.

MLA

Türkistanlı, Taha Talip. “Operationalizing COLREG Exemptions and Equivalents: Data-Driven Evidence via Association Rule Mining and Network Analysis”. Marine Science and Technology Bulletin, vol. 15, no. 1, Mar. 2026, pp. 9-27, doi:10.33714/masteb.1855338.

Vancouver

1.Taha Talip Türkistanlı. Operationalizing COLREG exemptions and equivalents: Data-driven evidence via association rule mining and network analysis. Mar. Sci. Tech. Bull. 2026 Mar. 1;15(1):9-27. doi:10.33714/masteb.1855338