Marine Pollution

4 Prevention of pollution from ships: further power to implement international agreements.

After section 20 of the M1Merchant Shipping Act 1979 there shall be inserted the following section—

20A Further provision for prevention of pollution from ships.

1

Her Majesty may by Order in Council make such provision as She considers appropriate for the purpose of giving effect to any provision of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (Cmnd 8941) for the protection and preservation of the marine environment from pollution by matter from ships.

2

Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1) of this section, an Order under that subsection may in particular include provision—

a

corresponding to any provision that is authorised for the purposes of section 20 of this Act by subsections (3) and (4) of that section; and

b

specifying areas of sea above any of the areas for the time being designated under section 1(7) of the Continental Shelf Act 1964 as waters within which the jurisdiction and rights of the United Kingdom are exercisable in accordance with Part XII of that Convention for the protection and preservation of the marine environment;

and provision authorising the making of regulations authorises the amendment or revocation of regulations made by virtue of paragraph (e) of the said subsection (4).

3

A draft of an Order in Council proposed to be made by virtue of subsection (1) of this section shall not be submitted to Her Majesty in Council unless the draft has been approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.