Explanatory Note
(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations replace the Merchant Shipping (Unregistered Ships) Regulations 1972, which applied certain provisions of the Merchant Shipping Act 1970 and Regulations made thereunder to certain unregistered ships. The changes are consequential on the change made by Part I of the Merchant Shipping Act 1988 in making qualified ships entitled to be registered in the United Kingdom, instead of, as previously, required to be registered, or exempted from the requirement.
Section 27 of the 1970 Act (Conduct endangering ships, structures or individuals), a new text for which was substituted by section 32 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1988, is now extended to all unregistered ships. Amendments are also made to the Merchant Shipping (Crew Accomodation) Regulations 1978 and to the Merchant Shipping (Returns of Birth and Deaths) Regulations 1979 to bring up to date the provisions applying them to unregistered ships.