Pilotage Act 1983

55 Limitation of liability

(1) Where, without any such personal act or omission of theirs as is mentioned in Articled of the Convention in Part I of Schedule 4 to the [1979 c. 39.] Merchant Shipping Act 1979, any loss or damage is caused—

(a) to any vessel or vessels, or

(b) to any goods, merchandise or other things whatsoever on board any vessel or vessels, or

(c) to any other property or rights of any kind, whether on land or on water or whether fixed or movable,

a pilotage authority shall not be liable to damages beyond the amount of £100 multiplied by the number of pilots holding licences from the pilotage authority under section 12 of this Act for the pilotage district of the pilotage authority at the date when the loss or damage occurs.

(2) The limit of liability under subsection (1) above shall apply whether the liability arises at common law or under any public general or local Act of Parliament and notwithstanding anything contained in any such Act passed before 16th July 1936 (the date of the passing of the [1936 c. 36.] Pilotage Authorities (Limitation of Liability) Act 1936).

(3) Nothing in this section shall impose any liability in respect of any such loss or damage on any pilotage authority in any case where no such liability would have existed if this Part of this Act had not been enacted.

(4) Until such day as the Secretary of State may by order appoint, subsection (1) above shall have effect in the United Kingdom as if for the words from " any such " to " 1979 " there were substituted the words " their fault or privity " .