In open water, which vessel is the stand-on vessel in a crossing situation with a vessel sailing on its starboard side?

In a crossing situation where another vessel is on your starboard side, the stand-on vessel is typically the one that is not required to change course or speed. In this case, the correct answer is the fishing vessel, which is often classified as a stand-on vessel under the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs) when it is engaged in fishing operations.

Fishing vessels have specific rules concerning their status at sea. They generally hold stand-on status when they are actively fishing unless they are overtaking another vessel. This means they should maintain their course and speed, allowing the give-way vessel (in this instance, the one sailing on the starboard side) to take the necessary actions to avoid a collision.

While other options like sailing vessels and power-driven vessels might also have their own stand-on scenarios, the circumstances outlined in this question designate the fishing vessel as the stand-on entity when in a crossing situation with the aforementioned configuration. This knowledge is crucial for safe navigation and compliance with maritime regulations.