The Merchant Shipping (Vessel Traffic Monitoring and Reporting Requirements) Regulations 2004

Notification prior to entry into port

5.—(1) This regulation applies to—

(a) a United Kingdom ship bound for a port located in an EEA State; and

(b) a non-United Kingdom ship bound for a port located in the United Kingdom.

(2) The owner, agent or master of a ship referred to in paragraph (1) shall notify the authority of the port to which the ship in question is bound of the information specified in paragraph (3) in accordance with paragraph (4).

(3) The information referred to in paragraph (2) is—

(a) the name, the call sign, the IMO identification number or the maritime mobile service identity number of the ship;

(b) the port of destination;

(c) the estimated time of arrival at the port of destination, or if required by the authority of the port in question, the pilot station for that port;

(d) the estimated time of departure from the port of destination referred to in sub-paragraph (c); and

(e) the total number of persons on board the ship.

(4) The information shall be notified—

(a) if it is known to which port the ship is bound, at least 24 hours before the arrival of the ship;

(b) if the duration of the voyage is less than 24 hours, no later than the time of departure from the previous port; or

(c) if it is not known to which port the ship is bound until less than 24 hours before the arrival of the ship at the port in question, as soon as possible after it becomes known that the ship is bound for that port.

(5) Where information has been notified in accordance with paragraph (2), the master of the ship in question shall notify immediately the authorities of the port to which the ship is bound of any changes to that information.

(6) A port authority in the United Kingdom to whom information has been notified pursuant to this regulation shall, on receipt of that information, pass it to the MCA by the quickest means possible.