Merchant Shipping Act 1974

Supplemental U.K.

20 Extension to British possessions etc. U.K.

(1) Her Majesty may by Order in Council direct that specified provisions of this Act shall extend, subject to specified exceptions, modifications or adaptations, to any of the following countries, that is to say—

(a) the Isle of Man;

(b) any of the Channel Islands;

(c) any colony other than one for whose external relations a country other than the United Kingdom is responsible;

(d) any country outside Her Majesty’s dominions in which Her Majesty has jurisdiction in right of Her Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom.

(2) In respect of any country falling within any of paragraphs (a) to (d) of subsection (1) above, Her Majesty may by Order in Council, specifying that country, direct that, with specified exceptions, adaptations or modifications, specified provisions of this Act shall have effect as if references therein to the United Kingdom included references to that country.

(3) In subsections (1) and (2) above “specified” means specified by an Order under this section.

(4) Any Order made under subsection (2) above shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 20 explained by Merchant Shipping Act 1979 (c. 39), s. 38(5)

21 Financial provisions. U.K.

Any sum received by a Minister under this Act shall be paid into the Consolidated Fund.

22 Offences by bodies corporate. U.K.

Where an offence under this Act, or under regulations made under any of its provisions, which has been committed by a body corporate is proved to have been committed with the consent or connivance of, or to be attributable to any neglect on the part of, a director, manager, secretary or other similar officer of the body corporate, or any person who was purporting to act in any such capacity, he, as well as the body corporate, shall be guilty of that offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly.

In this section “director”, in relation to a body corporate established by or under any enactment for the purpose of carrying on under public ownership any industry or part of an industry or undertaking, being a body corporate whose affairs are managed by its members, means a member of that body corporate.

23 Construction and interpretation. U.K.

(1) This Act shall be construed as one with the Merchant Shipping Acts 1894 to 1971, and without prejudice to the generality of this provision, references in those Acts to the Merchant Shipping Acts shall be construed as including references to this Act.

(2) References in this Act to the area of any country include the territorial sea of that country, and references to pollution damage in the United Kingdom shall be construed accordingly.

(3) It is hereby declared that any power to give directions conferred by this Act includes a power to vary or revoke directions so given.

(4) Except so far as the context otherwise requires, any reference in this Act to an enactment shall be construed as a reference to that enactment as amended or extended by or under any other enactment.

23 Construction and interpretation. U.K.

(1) This Act shall be construed as one with the Merchant Shipping Acts 1894 to 1971, and without prejudice to the generality of this provision, references in those Acts to the Merchant Shipping Acts shall be construed as including references to this Act.

(2) References in this Act to the area of any country include the territorial sea of that country [F2 , and references to pollution damage in the United Kingdom shall be construed accordingly.]

(3) It is hereby declared that any power to give directions conferred by this Act includes a power to vary or revoke directions so given.

(4) Except so far as the context otherwise requires, any reference in this Act to an enactment shall be construed as a reference to that enactment as amended or extended by or under any other enactment.

Textual Amendments

F2 Words repealed (prosp.) by Merchant Shipping Act 1988 (c. 12, SIF 111), ss. 34, 57(5), 58(2), Sch. 4 Pt. II para. 23, Sch. 7, (with s. 58(4), Sch. 8 para. 1) (which (prosp.) substitution fell (1.5.1994) by the repeal of 1988 c. 12, s. 34, Sch. 4 by 1993 c. 22, s. 8(4), Sch. 5 Pt.II; S.I. 1993/3137, art. 3(2), Sch.2)

24 Citation, commencement, repeals and extent. U.K.

(1) This Act may be cited as the Merchant Shipping Act 1974; and this Act and the Merchant Shipping Acts 1894 to 1971 may be cited together as the Merchant Shipping Acts 1894 to 1974.

(2) This Act shall come into force on such day as the Secretary of State may appoint by order made by statutory instrument; and different days may be appointed for different provisions, or for different purposes.

(3) An order under subsection (2) above may make such transitional provision as appears to the Secretary of State to be necessary or expedient in connection with the provisions thereby brought into force, including such adaptations of those provisions, or any provisions of this Act then in force, as appear to him to be necessary or expedient in consequence of the partial operation of this Act (whether before or after the day appointed by the order).

(4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

(5) This Act extends to Northern Ireland.

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 24(4) repealed by Statute Law Repeals Act 1986 (c. 12), s. 1(1), Sch. 1 Pt. XI

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C2 Power of appointment conferred by s. 24(2) partly exercised by S.I. 1974/1792, 1975/866, 1978/1466, 1979/808: unrepealed provisions of Act wholly in force