After section 8 of the Pilotage Act 1987 insert—

“8APilotage exemption certificates: suspension and revocation

(1)

A competent harbour authority may by written notice suspend or revoke a person's pilotage exemption certificate in the following cases.

(2)

Case 1 is where an event has occurred as a result of which the authority is no longer satisfied of the matters specified in section 8(1)(a).

(3)

Case 2 is where the authority thinks that the person has provided false information to the authority as to any of those matters.

(4)

Case 3 is where the authority thinks that the person has been guilty of professional misconduct while piloting a ship.

(5)

Case 4 is where—

(a)

pilotage notification was given under section 15(4)(b) in reliance on the person's certificate, and

(b)

in the event, the pilotage was carried out by a person who was neither an authorised pilot nor acting in accordance with a pilotage exemption certificate.

8BSection 8A: supplementary

(1)

The maximum period for which a pilotage exemption certificate may be suspended is 28 days.

(2)

But if a harbour authority has suspended a person's certificate and is considering whether to revoke it, the authority may by written notice extend the suspension for a single period of up to 28 days.

(3)

A suspended certificate may be revoked (on the same or different grounds).

(4)

Before revoking a person's certificate a harbour authority must—

(a)

give the person written warning, stating the reasons for the proposed revocation, and

(b)

allow the person a reasonable opportunity to make representations.

(5)

A competent harbour authority which has suspended or revoked a certificate may pay compensation to any person who has suffered, or is likely to suffer, loss as a result.”