These Regulations revoke and replace, with modifications, the Merchant Shipping (Diving Operations) Regulations 1975 (S.I. 1975/116) and the Merchant Shipping (Diving Operations) (Amendment) Regulations 1975 (S.I. 1975/2062).

These Regulations apply to diving within UK territorial waters in the circumstances set out in regulation 3(1) and (3) of the Regulations: diving projects falling within these circumstances will usually be those which involve recreational divers who use a vessel or other floating structure to carry out the dive. Regulation 3(2) also applies the Regulations to diving from United Kingdom ships which takes place outside UK territorial waters and the UK continental shelf, and to diving operations within the UK continental shelf other than those relating to offshore installations or pipelines: both commercial and recreational diving projects may fall within regulation 3(2).

The Regulations place duties on the owner and master of a craft (as defined in the Regulations) from which certain diving projects are undertaken, on the diving contractor or diving supervisor for such a diving project, and on the persons diving in such projects; certain powers are also conferred on masters and diving supervisors. They make provision for the Secretary of State to grant exemptions, for transitional provisions, inquiries and investigations into accidents, and create criminal offences for contravention of the Regulations.

A regulatory impact assessment has been produced and a copy laid in the library of each House of Parliament. Copies may be obtained from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Spring Place, 105 Commercial Road, Southampton, SO1 1EG (telephone 023 8032 9478 (direct) or 023 8032 9100 (switchboard).

Merchant Shipping Notices can be obtained from Marl Marketing (Scotland), Unit 6, Bloomsgrove Industrial Estate, Norton Street, Nottingham NG7 3JG, and are also available on the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s website at www.mcga.gov.uk.