Merchant Shipping and Maritime Security Act 1997

26 Piracy

(1) For the avoidance of doubt it is hereby declared that for the purposes of any proceedings before a court in the United Kingdom in respect of piracy, the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 that are set out in Schedule 5 shall be treated as constituting part of the law of nations.

(2) For the purposes of those provisions the high seas shall (in accordance with paragraph 2 of Article 58 of that Convention) be taken to include all waters beyond the territorial sea of the United Kingdom or of any other state.

(3) The [1967 c. 52.] Tokyo Convention Act 1967 (so far as unrepealed) shall cease to have effect.

(4) Her Majesty may by Order in Council direct that subsections (1) to (3) and Schedule 5 shall extend to the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands or any colony with such modifications, if any, as appear to Her to be appropriate.

(5) In section 39 of the [1982 c. 36.] Aviation Security Act 1982 (extension of 1982 Act outside United Kingdom), for subsection (2) (application of power in 1967 Act to section 5 of 1982 Act) there is substituted—

“(2) Subsection (4) of section 26 of the Merchant Shipping and Maritime Security Act 1997 (power to extend provisions about piracy to Isle of Man, Channel Islands and colonies) shall apply to section 5 of this Act as it applies to the provisions mentioned in that subsection.”

(6) Nothing in this section affects the operation of any Order in Council made under section 8 of the [1967 c. 52.] Tokyo Convention Act 1967; but any such Order may be revoked as if made under subsection (4).