The Merchant Shipping (Watercraft) Order 2023

Interpretation of the Merchant Shipping (Registration of Ships) Regulations 1993

2.—(1) For the purposes of interpreting the applied shipping provisions mentioned in paragraph 1—

(a) each reference to a ship in regulations 5, 6, 88, 92, 93(2), 95, 96, 98 to 100, 106, 108, 109, 110, 111, 113 and 114 is to be read as including a reference to a watercraft;

(b) the definitions of terms contained in regulation 1(2) of the Merchant Shipping (Registration of Ships) Regulations 1993 apply as if—

(i) in the definition of “certificate of registry” the reference to a ship includes a reference to a watercraft;

(ii) in the definition of “fishing vessel” for “vessel within the meaning of paragraph 2(1)(c) of Schedule 4 to” there were substituted “fishing vessel as defined in section 313(1) of”;

(iii) in the definition of “owner” at the end there were inserted “and in relation to watercraft means a person able to satisfy the Registrar that they are the owner”;

(iv) for the definition of “small ship” there were substituted—

““small ship” means—

(a)

a watercraft, or

(b)

a ship which is less than 24 metres in overall length,

which is, or is applying to be, registered under Part 11;.”.