(1)A panel, referred to in this Act as “the standards appeals panel”, shall be established and operate in accordance with the provisions of Schedule 2.
(2)The standards appeals panel is to determine—
(a)any question as to whether a vessel complies with any standard which is applicable to the vessel;
(b)any question as to whether any standard imposed is applicable to the vessel;
(c)any question as to the reasonableness of a standard imposed under section 12; and
(d)any question such as is referred to in section 17(11) as to whether a vessel fails materially to comply with any standards applicable to the vessel;
if the question is the subject of an application made in accordance with subsection (3).
(3)An application to refer a question to the standards appeals panel must be made in writing to the Authority and signed by—
(a)the owner of the vessel, in the case of a question arising under subsection (2)(a), (b) or (d); and
(b)not fewer than 6 persons, each of whom is the owner of any category of vessel to which this section applies, in the case of a question arising under subsection (2)(c).