The Weymouth Harbour Revision Order 2021

Power with respect to disposal of wrecks

39.—(1) In its application to the Council, section 252 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 (powers of harbour and conservancy authorities in relation to wrecks) has effect in relation to the harbour and its approaches in relation to a vessel sunk, stranded or abandoned before, as well as after, the coming into force of this Order.

(2) Subject to paragraph (3) below, and to any enactment for the time being in force limiting a person’s liability, the Council may recover from the owner of any vessel sunk, stranded or abandoned on or after the date of coming into force of this Order in relation to which it has exercised its powers under section 252 any expenses reasonably incurred by it under that section in relation to that vessel which are not reimbursed out of any proceeds of sale within the meaning of that section.

(3) Except in a case which is in the opinion of the Council an emergency, paragraph (2) above shall not apply in relation to any vessel unless, before exercising in relation to that vessel any of the powers conferred on it by section 252, other than the power of lighting and buoying, the Council has given to the owner of the vessel not less than 48 hours’ notice of its intention to do so.

(4) If before the notice expires the Council receive from the owner counter-notice in writing that the owner desires to dispose of the vessel themselves, the owner shall be at liberty to do so; and the Council shall not exercise the powers in section 252 in relation to that vessel until the expiration of seven days from the receipt of the counter-notice and of any further continuous period thereafter during which the owner of the vessel proceeds with the disposal thereof with all reasonable diligence and in compliance with any directions for the prevention of interference with navigation which may be given to the owner by the Council.

(5) Notice under paragraph (3) above to the owner of any vessel may be served by the Council either by delivering it to the owner or by sending it to the owner by registered post or the recorded delivery service addressed to the owner at their last known place of business or abode in the United Kingdom or, if the owner or any such place of business or abode is not known to the Council, or is not in the United Kingdom, by displaying the notice at the harbour office of the Council and electronically on the harbour website for the period of its duration.

(6) In this article “owner”, in relation to any vessel, means the person who was the owner of the vessel at the time of the sinking, stranding or abandonment.

(7) The powers conferred on the Council by this article shall be in addition to and not in derogation of any other powers exercisable by it for or with respect to the removal of wrecks within the harbour and its approaches.