| Guvnor

What this means for your business

105 obligations

82 penalties

17 can imprison

1 guides

Enforced by: MCA
Applies to: United Kingdom
On this page: 105 compliance obligations, 1 practical guide

Read full text on legislation.gov.uk

What you must do

105 compliance obligations under this legislation — 17 can result in imprisonment.

Appointments 1

If your UK‑registered ship does not have a qualified medical practitioner among the crew, you (the ship’s master) must ensure that any medical help needed on board is provided either by you or by someone you appoint and supervise. You need to have a clear plan and a designated person ready to give medical attention.

Any Person s.53 MCA the ship does not carry a registered medical practitioner among its crew

Inspections 1

If you own a fishing vessel you must apply for a fishing vessel certificate that proves the boat meets the required construction and equipment standards. The certificate will only be issued if the vessel also has the required navigation lights, shapes and fog‑signal devices. You need to keep the valid certificate on board while the vessel is in use.

Any Person s.123 MCA When you own a fishing vessel that has been surveyed under the …

Management duties 9

If your ship collides with another vessel, you must, as far as it is safe, help the other ship’s crew, passengers and vessel and stay until they no longer need help. You also have to give the other master your ship’s name and the ports it is coming from and going to. The duty applies to all ships in UK waters, whether UK‑registered or foreign.

Any Person s.92 MCA A collision occurs between your ship and another ship

If you operate a local lighthouse authority you must follow any written direction from the General Lighthouse Authority about laying, removing or changing buoys, lighthouses or beacons. You cannot make those changes on your own – you need the Authority’s consent and must keep a record of the direction and what you did.

Any Person s.199 MCA When a General Lighthouse Authority issues a written direction (with consent) concerning …

If your ship stops being registered in the United Kingdom, you must end the employment of any seaman on board unless that seaman gives you written consent to continue working on the vessel. Their wages must still be handled under the same rules as if the ship were still UK‑registered.

Employer s.29 MCA When a United Kingdom‑registered ship ceases to be registered in the UK

You must make sure your UK‑registered ship is fit for sea before it leaves and keep it fit throughout the journey. This means using reasonable steps – inspections, maintenance, proper loading and preparation – for every voyage, regardless of any contract terms.

Employer s.42 MCA

You must make sure that no member of your crew is intoxicated while carrying out any duties on board a ship. This means having clear policies, testing where appropriate and taking disciplinary action if someone is found drunk. Failing to do so can lead to criminal prosecution for both the individual and the company.

Employer s.117 MCA when crew are on duty on a UK‑registered vessel

If cargo you own is saved from a ship that has been stranded or wrecked, you must give Customs a security (e.g., a bond or guarantee) before they will allow the goods to be moved to their original destination or returned to the port of loading. Without that security the Commissioner will not release the goods.

Trader/Business s.251 MCA When goods are saved from a ship stranded or wrecked on its …

If one of your crew leaves the ship without permission while the vessel is in foreign waters and breaks that country’s immigration laws, any fine that you (or a third party) have to pay can be treated as the seaman’s civil liability. You can then claim that amount back from the seaman as special damages (or up to £100 if the fine was paid by someone else).

Employer s.72 MCA A seaman is absent without leave in foreign waters and is penalised …

If you own a ship – whether it is UK‑registered or a foreign vessel in UK waters – you must do everything reasonably practicable to keep the ship operating safely. This also covers charterers and managers of the ship, who share the same responsibility. Failure to act can lead to a fine or up to two years’ imprisonment.

Any Person s.100 MCA when you are the owner (or charterer/manager) of a ship that operates …

If you own or operate a British‑registered ship, you must only use its certificate of registration to sail the vessel legally. You cannot allow the certificate to be held back or used to settle any private dispute or claim.

Any Person s.13 MCA When you hold a certificate of registration for a British ship

Notifications 3

Before a ship can be cleared to leave the port, the master must tell the customs officer which country the ship belongs to. The officer will record this on the clearance document. If the ship tries to sail without that clearance, it can be detained until the declaration is made.

Any Person s.6 MCA When the ship requires customs clearance or a transire to proceed to …

If you become entitled to a wreck that has not been claimed in UK waters, you must send the wreck receiver a written statement explaining why you have the right to it and give an address where they can send any notices. This lets the authority keep you informed about the wreck and any actions they need to take.

Any Person s.242 MCA When you are entitled to an unclaimed wreck found in the United …

If your business takes control of a shipwreck you must write down what it looks like and any identifying marks within 48 hours. If you think the wreck is worth more than £5,000 you also have to send the same description to Lloyd’s in London and display that notice where anyone can see it. Keep the written record available for inspection at any reasonable time.

Any Person s.238 MCA When you (as a receiver) take possession of a wreck; additional step …

Other requirements 2

If one of your seamen is found in a UK civil court to have smuggled goods, they must pay back any loss or expense the smuggling caused to another person. This creates a personal financial liability for the employee.

Employee s.71 MCA Employee is found in civil proceedings in the UK to have committed …

If you’re involved in a salvage operation where the money has to be divided and a dispute or delay arises, the court can order you to split the money among the parties or hand it over to the court. You’ll need to follow those orders and keep proof of what you did.

Any Person s.229 MCA A dispute or delay over salvage apportionment involving a sum above £5,000 …

Payments and fees 8

If the Coastguard helps watch or protect property that has been wrecked at sea, you as the owner must pay them a fee set by the Secretary of State. You only pay if you accepted the help and no separate salvage award has been made.

Any Person s.250 MCA Coastguard services are provided to watch or protect your shipwrecked property and …

If you use a ship’s signal in a way that is not in line with the regulations and someone loses money or is harmed because they thought it was a distress signal, you must pay them compensation. The law also says that such compensation can be recovered in the same way as salvage. It’s a financial liability that applies only where a signal has been misused.

Any Person s.86 MCA when a signal is used or displayed incorrectly and causes loss or …

If a ship you own, charter, manage or operate releases bunker oil in UK waters, you must cover all damage caused, the cost of any clean‑up or containment measures, and any damage caused by those measures. The same applies if there is a serious, imminent threat of such a release.

Any Person s.153A MCA Bunker oil is discharged, escapes, or a grave imminent threat of discharge …

If oil is released from your ship, you as the registered owner are legally responsible for any damage caused in UK waters, the cost of reasonable clean‑up measures, and any damage caused by those measures. You must be prepared to meet these costs, even if other ship owners are also involved.

Any Person s.154 MCA Oil is discharged or escapes from your ship, or a grave imminent …

If your ship is carrying oil in bulk and oil is discharged, escapes or there is a serious threat of a spill, you as the registered owner must pay for any damage caused in UK waters, the cost of any reasonable measures taken to prevent or limit that damage, and any damage caused by those measures. This liability also continues on any subsequent voyage until the ship is proven free of oil residues.

Any Person s.153 MCA When oil is discharged, escapes, or a grave and imminent threat of …

If you own or operate a ship, or act as a consignee or agent who has already paid other port charges, you must pay the applicable general light dues to the General Lighthouse Authority when the vessel arrives or discharges in the UK. Failure to pay can lead to the dues being recovered as a civil debt.

Any Person s.207 MCA When a ship for which general light dues are payable arrives in …

If a crew member on your UK‑registered ship needs urgent surgery, dental or optical treatment, or dies while at sea outside the United Kingdom, you as the employer must cover the reasonable cost of that treatment or the burial/cremation. The expense is borne by you, not the employee, and should be paid promptly.

Employer s.45 MCA Crew member requires urgent medical/dental/optical treatment abroad that cannot be postponed, or …

If you employ a seaman on a UK fishing vessel under a crew agreement, you must pay the full amount of wages that the agreement stipulates. No deductions are allowed unless another law specifically permits them. In practice this means you need to ensure payroll for fishing‑vessel crew is complete and on time.

Employer s.110 MCA When you have a crew agreement with a seaman on a United …

Offences and prohibitions 77

If you knowingly help, encourage, advise or order someone to break any offence under the Merchant Shipping Act, you can be prosecuted as if you committed the offence yourself. This means a company or individual that aids illegal ship operations, falsifies records, or otherwise supports a breach can face the same penalties as the principal offender.

Any Person s.277A MCA

If you do not follow any of the rules made under the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 about discharge books – for example failing to apply for, produce, or surrender a discharge book when the regulations require it – you commit a criminal offence. A conviction in the magistrates’ court can result in a fine of up to £500.

Any Person s.80 MCA

The Secretary of State can set rules for maximum duty periods and minimum rest for crew on UK fishing vessels. If those rules are broken for any seaman, both the person who employs the seaman and the vessel’s master can be prosecuted. On summary conviction each faces a fine of up to £2,500.

Employer s.115 MCA

If anyone on a passenger ship – for example a drunk passenger who refuses to leave, a person who keeps trying to board after being refused, anyone who molests passengers, or anyone who damages ship equipment or obstructs the crew – commits any of the listed actions, they commit an offence. On conviction in the Magistrates’ Court, the offender faces a fine of up to £500. No jail term is provided for these offences.

Any Person s.101 MCA

If you are the master of a ship that has a trans‑shipment licence and a notice has been served prohibiting the receipt or processing of fish, you must ensure that prohibition is obeyed. Allowing the ship to break that prohibition without a reasonable excuse is an offence. On summary conviction you face a fine up to £50,000; on indictment you could be jailed for up to two years, fined, or both.

Any Person s.100G MCA

If two or more seamen employed on a UK ship work together to refuse a lawful command, ignore a required duty, or deliberately hinder the ship’s progress while the ship is at sea, they commit a criminal offence. The offence can be tried either in the magistrates’ court or in the Crown Court. On conviction the offenders face an unlimited fine and, on indictment, up to two years’ imprisonment (or both).

Any Person s.59 MCA

If a master or crew member of a UK‑registered ship does something outside the UK that would be illegal if it happened in the UK, they can be prosecuted as if the act occurred in England. This covers both actions and failures to act, and also applies to anyone who left the ship within three months of the event. Any conviction follows the penalty that would apply to the same offence under UK law.

Any Person s.282 MCA

If a ship’s master or any crew member on a UK‑registered vessel (or a foreign vessel in UK waters) does something, or fails to act, that could damage the ship, other vessels or structures, or cause death or serious injury – and the act is deliberate, negligent or they are under the influence of drink or drugs – they can be prosecuted. Conviction can lead to a fine of up to the statutory maximum on summary conviction, or up to two years’ imprisonment, an unlimited fine, or both on indictment.

Any Person s.58 MCA

If you breach an order made under s.128 of the Merchant Shipping Act – for example by discharging pollutants or failing to meet emission standards required by an international agreement – you commit a criminal offence. On summary conviction you face an unlimited fine, and on indictment you could be jailed for up to two years and also fined without limit.

Any Person s.128 MCA

If you deliberately or recklessly damage, remove, sink, hide or otherwise interfere with a lighthouse, lightship, buoy or beacon – or if you ride by, tie to or collide with one – without lawful authority or a reasonable excuse, you commit a criminal offence. On conviction in the Magistrates' Court you must pay the cost of any repairs and can be fined up to £2,500.

Any Person s.219 MCA

If a ship (or offshore installation) releases oil or oil‑containing mixtures into UK national waters that are navigable by sea‑going vessels, the ship’s owner or master can be prosecuted. The same applies if the oil is transferred to another ship or a place on land and the discharge is caused by an officer on the other vessel or the occupier of that land site. A conviction can lead to a fine – up to £250,000 on summary conviction and an unlimited fine if tried on indictment.

Occupier s.131 MCA

If you are present on a vessel that is in distress and a receiver (the person appointed to take charge) gives you a direction, you must follow it. Intentionally refusing or ignoring that direction is a criminal offence. On conviction in a magistrates' court you could be fined up to £1,000.

Any Person s.232 MCA

If you, as the ship’s owner or master, employ a person who is under the school‑leaving age (or a child under 16 on a sea‑going ship) in a way that the regulations do not allow, you are committing an offence. On summary conviction you can be fined up to £1,000. No prison term is prescribed.

Any Person s.55 MCA

If a ship you own or operate enters or stays in a temporary exclusion zone that has been declared – and you have no consent, direction or right of transit passage – both you (as the owner) and the ship’s master commit a criminal offence. On conviction you can be fined up to £50,000 in a magistrates’ court, or face an unlimited fine, up to two years’ imprisonment, or both in the Crown Court.

Any Person s.100B MCA

If your ship – or you as the master or registered owner – enters or leaves a UK port (or any foreign port) without a valid insurance certificate that proves compliance with the Liability Convention, you commit an offence. On conviction you face a fine: unlimited if tried in Crown Court, or up to £50,000 if tried summarily.

Any Person s.163 MCA

If three or more seamen on a UK‑registered ship raise a complaint that the food or water supplied does not meet safety standards and the master either fails to set up a proper complaint procedure, does not replace unfit provisions within a reasonable time, or lets the unfit provisions be used, the master (or shipowner) commits an offence. On summary conviction the offender can be fined up to £2,500. No prison term is prescribed.

Any Person s.44 MCA

If the captain (master) of a ship receives a distress signal from an aircraft at sea, they must proceed at speed to help the people in distress unless a reasonable excuse applies. Failing to do so is a criminal offence. On conviction you could be sentenced to up to 6 months in a magistrates’ court (or a fine) or, if tried in the Crown Court, up to 2 years in prison and an unlimited fine.

Any Person s.93 MCA

If a vessel must have a wreck‑removal insurance certificate, the ship’s master must keep that certificate on board and show it to a Revenue & Customs officer, a Secretary of State officer or a proper officer on request. Not having the certificate on board or refusing to produce it is a criminal offence. On summary conviction the offender can be fined up to level 5 on the standard scale (an unlimited fine).

Any Person s.255M MCA

If a UK‑registered ship does not have the oil record book it must carry, the ship’s owner or master commits a criminal offence. On conviction in the Magistrates’ Court they face an unlimited fine.

Any Person s.142 MCA

If a light under your control could be mistaken for a lighthouse and a General Lighthouse Authority serves you a prevention notice, you must extinguish or adequately screen the light within the time specified. Failing to do so without a reasonable excuse is a criminal offence and can result in an unlimited fine. The authority may also switch the light off and recover any costs from you as a civil debt.

Any Person s.220 MCA

If you employ British seamen you must make sure they have the required British seamen’s cards, produce them when asked and surrender them when required. Failing to follow any of the regulations made under this section is a summary offence and can lead to a fine of up to £500. Giving false information to obtain a card is a separate offence, punishable by a fine of up to £2,500.

Any Person s.79 MCA

If a UK fishing vessel does not meet the construction requirements set out in the fishing vessel construction rules, or if an exemption condition is ignored, the vessel’s owner or master commits an offence. On conviction you face a fine – either on summary conviction in a Magistrates’ Court or on indictment in a Crown Court – with no limit on the amount. There is no custodial sentence for this breach.

Any Person s.121 MCA

If you break any rule set out in the regulations made under the Merchant Shipping Act 1995, you commit a criminal offence. On summary conviction you face a fine up to the statutory maximum, and on conviction on indictment you could be sentenced to up to two years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both.

Any Person s.130D MCA

If you (or anyone responsible for a UK‑registered ship) do not keep the official log book as required by the regulations made under the Merchant Shipping Act, you commit a criminal offence. On summary conviction you can be fined up to £500. No prison term is attached.

Any Person s.77 MCA

If the Secretary of State issues a safety direction under Schedule 3A (for example, to move a ship, unload cargo or take specific salvage actions), you must obey it. Failing to follow the direction, or deliberately blocking anyone who is acting on it, is a criminal offence. Conviction can lead to a fine of up to £50,000 on summary conviction, or an unlimited fine on indictment.

Any Person Schedule 3A MCA

If your vessel is a registered owner and you have been served with a wreck removal notice that includes specific conditions, you must follow those conditions. Failing to do so without a reasonable excuse makes you guilty of an offence. You can be fined up to £50,000 on summary conviction, or face an unlimited fine if the case goes to Crown Court.

Any Person s.255E MCA

If you are the person responsible for delivering a certificate that has been cancelled or suspended (as required by sections 61‑63 of the Act), you must do so. Failing to deliver that certificate is a criminal offence. On conviction in the Magistrates' Court you can be fined up to £1,000, but there is no prison term.

Any Person s.66 MCA

If regulations require you to return or surrender a ship‑insurance certificate (for example when it is cancelled) and you do not do so, you commit a criminal offence. On summary conviction you face a fine of up to £2,500. No imprisonment is provided for this breach.

Any Person s.164 MCA

If you do not hand over a wreck removal insurance certificate when the regulations require you to, you commit a criminal offence. On summary conviction in a magistrates' court you can be fined up to £2,500.

Any Person s.255O MCA

If a vessel is wrecked or in distress near the UK coast and cargo washes ashore, the law requires that cargo be handed over to the appointed receiver. Any person who hides, keeps, or refuses to give that cargo to the receiver (or someone the receiver authorises) commits an offence. On conviction in the Magistrates' Court you could be fined up to £2,500.

Any Person s.237 MCA

If the owner, master or engineer of a ship being surveyed is asked to provide information or assistance for the surveyors’ returns and they refuse without a reasonable excuse, they commit an offence. On conviction in the Magistrates' Court they face a fine of up to £1,000. No prison term is provided for this breach.

Any Person s.299 MCA

If your fishing vessel has a valid certificate and you alter the hull, equipment or machinery in a way that affects its efficiency or seaworthiness, you must send a written notice of the change to the Secretary of State (or the certifying body) as soon as possible. Not doing so is a criminal offence and can result in a fine of up to £1,000.

Any Person s.126 MCA

If you (or your business) find or take possession of a wreck in UK waters, you must promptly notify the Receiver of Wreck and follow their instructions. Failing to do so without a reasonable excuse is an offence. On conviction you face a fine of up to £2,500 and, if you are not the owner, you lose any right to claim salvage and must pay twice the wreck’s value to the owner or entitled person.

Any Person s.236 MCA

If you operate a sea‑borne passenger service and do not give passengers the notice that the Secretary of State’s order requires you to provide, you commit a criminal offence. On summary conviction you can be fined up to £2,500. No prison terms are prescribed.

Any Person Schedule 6 MCA

If the Secretary of State tells you to return an expired or cancelled fishing‑vessel certificate and you do not do so (without a reasonable excuse), you commit a criminal offence. On conviction in the Magistrates’ Court you face a fine of up to £500.

Any Person s.124 MCA

If a ship’s master stops being master during a voyage and does not give the required ship and crew documents to the new master, and has no reasonable excuse, the master commits an offence. On conviction in the magistrates’ court the master can be fined up to £1,000. This duty applies to all UK‑registered ships.

Any Person s.81 MCA

If a ship of 1,001 gross tons or more does not have the required bunkers‑insurance contract and the accompanying certificate, it must not enter or leave a UK port or terminal. The master or the ship’s registered owner can be prosecuted and face an unlimited fine (or a fine up to the statutory maximum for summary cases). The master can also be fined if the certificate is not carried on board or is not produced when asked.

Any Person s.163A MCA

If you have a crew member on a UK fishing vessel who holds a qualification certificate, you must show that certificate to a British sea‑fishery officer when asked. Failing to produce the document without a reasonable excuse is an offence. On conviction in the Magistrates' Court you face a fine of up to £1,000 (standard‑scale level 3).

Any Person s.116 MCA

If a crew member who holds a qualification certificate for a ship is asked by a superintendent, surveyor, proper officer or the ship’s master to show the certificate and does not do so without a reasonable excuse, they commit an offence. On conviction in the Magistrates' Court they face a fine of up to £1,000. No imprisonment is provided for this breach.

Any Person s.50 MCA

If a authorised officer (e.g. a customs officer or a naval officer) asks you to show a log‑book or any other ship document that you control and you do not provide it without a reasonable excuse, you commit a criminal offence. On summary conviction you can be fined up to £1,000. No prison term is prescribed.

Any Person s.257 MCA

If you are the master of a ship that carries passengers to or from the UK, you must send a return to the Secretary of State with the number of passengers carried. Failing to send the return, sending a false return, or refusing to give the required information (or giving false information) is an offence. On conviction in the magistrates' court you face a fine of up to £1,000 (‑ £500 for a simple failure or refusal, up to £1,000 for false information). No prison term is prescribed.

Any Person s.107 MCA

If you are the master of a UK ship or the person who employs a seaman, you must give the seaman a written account of his wages and any deductions, normally at least 24 hours before discharge. Failing to do so without a reasonable excuse is a criminal offence. On conviction in the magistrates' court you face a fine of up to £500.

Employer s.31 MCA

If you employ seafarers on a UK fishing vessel you must give them a written account of their wages and any deductions, and also provide accounts of wages that relate to the catch as set out in the regulations. Failing to do so without a reasonable excuse is a criminal offence. On summary conviction you can be fined up to £500.

Employer s.112 MCA

If a ship you own becomes a wreck in UK waters and the Secretary of State issues a written notice requiring you to remove it, you must comply by the deadline. Failing to do so without a reasonable excuse makes you guilty of an offence. On conviction you face a fine – up to £50,000 in the magistrates' court or an unlimited fine if the case goes to Crown Court.

Any Person s.255D MCA

If you are the master or the operator of a UK‑registered ship and a wreck occurs in a Convention area, you must report it immediately to the appropriate authority. Failing to make the report is a criminal offence. On conviction you face a fine of up to £50,000 in the magistrates' court, or an unlimited fine if the case goes to Crown Court.

Any Person s.255B MCA

If oil (or an oil‑containing mixture) is discharged or leaks from a ship into the waters of a UK harbour, the ship’s owner or master must report the incident straight away to the harbour master or the harbour authority. Failing to make that report is a criminal offence. On conviction in the magistrates’ court the offender faces an unlimited fine, but no imprisonment.

Any Person s.136 MCA

If a marine officer’s certificate is cancelled or suspended following a formal investigation, the officer must hand the certificate back to the wreck commissioner or the Secretary of State. Failing to do so is a criminal offence. On summary conviction the offender can be fined up to £1,000.

Any Person s.268 MCA

If the master of a UK‑registered ship does not take on board an offender or witness that a British consular officer has ordered to be carried to the United Kingdom, or does not hand the offender over to police on arrival, the ship’s master commits a criminal offence. On summary conviction in the Magistrates’ Court the master faces an unlimited fine.

Any Person s.283 MCA

If you give the ship registrar a false or reckless statement, supply false information, fail to tell them about a change to the ship’s British connection, or destroy a required document, you commit a criminal offence. On conviction you face a fine (unlimited on summary conviction) and/or up to two years’ imprisonment. The offence can be tried in either the Magistrates’ Court or the Crown Court.

Any Person s.14 MCA

If you, or anyone acting for you, falsify or change entries in the ship register or any other document covered by the Merchant Shipping Act in Scotland, you commit a criminal offence. On conviction you can be fined (with no upper limit) and/or sent to prison – up to six months on a summary case, with potentially longer terms on an indictment.

Any Person s.22 MCA

If you (or anyone you send) sails on a vessel pretending to be a qualified officer or seaman when you are not actually qualified, you commit a criminal offence. On summary conviction you face a fine up to the statutory maximum, and on indictment you face an unlimited fine. No prison term is prescribed for this offence.

Any Person s.52 MCA

If you hoist any national colours other than the red ensign, the Union Jack with a white border, or colours specifically authorised, or any colours that look like those used by Her Majesty’s ships (including pendants), on a British‑registered vessel without a warrant from Her Majesty or the Secretary of State, you commit an offence. The same applies to anyone else who hoists those unauthorised colours. On conviction you can be fined – up to the statutory maximum on a summary case and an unlimited fine if tried on indictment.

Any Person s.4 MCA

If you own or occupy land and you block, hinder or try to stop anyone from crossing it to help a vessel in distress, save lives, or recover cargo, you commit a criminal offence. On conviction in the magistrates' court you face a fine of up to £1,000. There is no custodial sentence for this offence.

Occupier s.234 MCA

If anyone boards, hinders rescue, removes, conceals or damages a wrecked, stranded or distressed vessel, or its cargo, without the master’s permission, they commit an offence. This applies to ship owners, operators and their staff. On summary conviction the maximum penalty is a £2,500 fine; no imprisonment is provided for.

Any Person s.246 MCA

If you knowingly or recklessly give false information to obtain a special certificate of competence for yourself or someone else, you commit an offence. The offence is tried in the Magistrates' Court and carries an unlimited fine. No prison term is provided for this breach.

Any Person s.54 MCA

If you are the master, owner or charterer of a ship that is not a British ship and you cause it to look like a British vessel – for example by flying the Union Jack, showing British registration documents or other marks – you commit a criminal offence. The same applies if you deliberately hide the British nationality of a genuine British ship. Conviction can lead to the ship being forfeited, a fine of up to £50,000 on summary trial, or up to two years’ imprisonment (or a fine, or both) on indictment.

Any Person s.3 MCA

If you deliberately block a Merchant Shipping Inspector, refuse to follow a lawful requirement they issue, or make a false or reckless statement to appear compliant, you commit a criminal offence. On summary conviction you face a fine up to the statutory maximum; on indictment you can be sentenced to up to two years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both.

Any Person s.260 MCA

If you block a surveyor, superintendent or other authorised officer from boarding your vessel, or you refuse to follow a direction they give (for example, being taken into dock for a hull survey), you commit an offence. On conviction in the Magistrates' Court you face an unlimited fine. No jail term is specified.

Any Person s.258 MCA

If your shipping company breaches any provision of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 (or its regulations) and a director, manager, secretary or any similar officer gave consent, helped, or was negligent, that officer is also guilty of the same offence. The individual can be prosecuted and faces the same penalties that apply to the company.

Director/Officer s.277 MCA

If a ship in a UK port, or a UK‑registered ship elsewhere, is dangerously unsafe, the ship’s owner and master (or anyone who has taken over the owner’s safety responsibilities) can be prosecuted. On conviction you may face a fine of up to £50,000 in a magistrates’ court, or up to two years’ imprisonment, an unlimited fine, or both in the Crown Court.

Any Person s.98 MCA

If you own, skipper or charter a fishing boat that should be registered but isn’t, or you make the vessel appear to be UK‑registered when it isn’t, you commit a criminal offence. The vessel can be seized and you face up to a £50,000 fine in a summary case, or on indictment up to two years’ imprisonment and an unlimited fine.

Any Person s.15 MCA

If a partnership or unincorporated association in Scotland commits a breach of the Merchant Shipping Act and a partner has consented to, helped, or been negligent about it, that partner can be prosecuted personally. The partner will face the same penalty that the partnership itself would receive.

Any Person s.278 MCA

If you print, sell or use a document that pretends to be an official Merchant Shipping form when you know it is not the approved version, you commit a criminal offence. On conviction in a magistrates' court you can be fined up to £500. No prison term is provided for this offence.

Any Person s.300 MCA

If a ship’s master (or a person who sends the ship to sea) sails away after a detention notice has been served, and does not follow the directions in that notice, they commit a criminal offence. The offence also applies to the ship’s owner if they were involved. On conviction you face a fine – up to £50,000 on a summary conviction or an unlimited fine on indictment.

Any Person s.284 MCA

If a UK‑registered ship sails (or tries to sail) without first being surveyed, marked with the required deck‑line and load‑lines and meeting the conditions of assignment, the ship’s owner or master commits an offence. On conviction in the Crown Court the offender faces an unlimited fine; the same offence can also be tried in a Magistrates’ Court where the fine is limited to the statutory maximum.

Any Person Schedule 3 MCA

If you or anyone on your vessel refuses a lawful request from a receiver to provide people, equipment, a vessel or a vehicle when a ship is in distress, you commit a criminal offence. On summary conviction in the Magistrates' Court you could be fined up to £1,000 (standard‑scale level 3).

Any Person s.233 MCA

If a superintendent or proper officer says the crew cannot understand orders because they do not know enough English and there is no system for giving orders in a language they understand, the ship must not leave port. If the ship’s owner or master sails or tries to sail anyway, they can be prosecuted and face an unlimited fine in the magistrates’ court.

Any Person s.51 MCA

If a UK‑registered ship goes to sea (or tries to) without the required crew agreement on board, the ship’s master or the employer of the crew can be prosecuted. On summary conviction they face a fine of up to £2,500 and the vessel may be detained in the United Kingdom.

Employer s.25 MCA

If you put a UK fishing vessel out to sea when you have not complied with the safety‑training requirement set out in the regulations, you commit an offence. The offence applies to any person on board, and the skipper or vessel owner are also liable if they allow the breach. On summary conviction in the Magistrates’ Court you face an unlimited fine (up to level 5 on the standard scale); for crew who are not skipper or owner the fine is capped at level 2 (£500).

Any Person s.127 MCA

If you own or operate a fishing vessel that must have a fishing‑vessel certificate, you must not send it out to sea unless the appropriate certificates are in force. Sending the vessel to sea without those certificates is a criminal offence; you can be fined – up to the statutory maximum on a summary conviction, or an unlimited fine on indictment.

Any Person s.125 MCA

If you place unauthorised alcohol on board a UK fishing boat, possess it there, let someone else do so, or intentionally block an authorised search, you commit a criminal offence. On conviction you face up to two years’ imprisonment and a fine – a summary conviction carries a fine up to the statutory maximum, while an indictment can bring an unlimited fine and/or imprisonment.

Any Person s.118 MCA

If your business moves a ship, its cargo or any part of a wreck that has been found in UK waters into a foreign port and sells it, you are committing a criminal offence. On conviction in the Crown Court you face up to five years’ imprisonment and, where a fine is imposed, an unlimited fine. The offence applies to any person or company involved in salvage, transport or sale of wreck material.

Any Person s.245 MCA

If you move oil to or from a ship between sunset and sunrise without giving the required notice to the harbour master (or an authorised fire‑and‑rescue exemption), you are committing an offence. The ship’s master – and, where the transfer involves land, the occupier of that land – can be fined up to £1,000 on summary conviction. No prison term is provided for this breach.

Occupier s.135 MCA

If a person who is not employed by the Crown or otherwise legally authorised boards a UK‑registered or foreign ship that is in a UK port without the master’s permission, or stays on that ship after being told to leave, they commit an offence. On conviction in the Magistrates' Court they face an unlimited fine. There is no custodial sentence for this offence.

Any Person s.104 MCA

If you share information about oil quantities or the people liable to pay the oil contribution that you received under a Section 174 notice, without the data‑holder’s consent and not for the purpose of the notice or legal proceedings, you commit an offence. On summary conviction in the Magistrates’ Court you face an unlimited fine.

Any Person s.174 MCA

If you operate, cause to be operated, or allow a lighter, barge or a similar vessel to be used when it is unsafe because of a defective hull or equipment, over‑loading, or not enough crew, and this puts lives at risk, you commit an offence. On conviction you face an unlimited fine and the case can be heard either in a Magistrates’ Court or in the Crown Court.

Any Person s.99 MCA

If you or anyone working for you puts on the merchant navy uniform (or any part of it, or clothing that looks like it) without being authorised to do so, you are committing a criminal offence. Wearing the uniform in a way that could bring it into contempt can also lead to up to a month’s imprisonment. The penalty is a fine of up to £200 (standard‑scale level 1) and, in the contempt case, up to one month in prison.

Any Person s.57 MCA

Record keeping 1

When your ship pays general light dues you must be given a receipt by the authority that collects the dues, and you must keep that receipt ready to show to customs or the appointed light‑dues collector. If you cannot produce the receipt, the ship can be detained at any port until you do so.

Trader/Business s.209 MCA When paying or when light dues are due for your ship

Reporting and filing 3

If a crew member is injured on a UK fishing vessel during a voyage, the appointed superintendent or proper officer must investigate what happened and why. They then have to submit a written report of their findings to the Secretary of State.

Any Person s.272 MCA A master or crew member of a United Kingdom fishing vessel is …

If you hold a merchant‑shipping certificate for a seaman (other than an officer) and you have asked for an inquiry into your fitness or conduct, you must attend the inquiry, follow any decision (including cancellation or suspension of your certificate), and pay any costs the inquiry panel orders. The cancelled or suspended certificate must be handed over immediately.

Any Person s.63 MCA When you have requested an inquiry under s.63 before the date specified …

If you own or operate a ship (or are a harbour, customs or conservancy authority), you must give the General Lighthouse Authority any details they reasonably ask for about the ship’s arrival, departure or movements. This information is needed to work out whether you owe light dues and how much.

Any Person s.206 MCA When a General Lighthouse Authority reasonably requests information to calculate light dues

Penalty applies

s.277 Penalises: Officer liability for corporate maritime offence

Fine

Partner liable for partnership's shipping offence

Penalty applies

s.278 Penalises: Partner liable for partnership's shipping offence

Practical guidance

Our guides explain how to comply with the requirements above.

Running a maritime business

How to register ships with the UK Ship Register and comply with maritime regulations. Covers ship registration, seafarer certification, ISM …

Sections and provisions

387 classified provisions from this legislation.

38 Duties 94 Offences and penalties 106 Powers 36 Definitions 44 Exemptions

Duties 38

s.6 Duty to declare national character of ship.
s.10 Registration regulations. offence
s.13 Status of certificate of registration. and
s.29 Discharge of seamen when ship ceases to be registered in United Kingdom.
s.42 Obligation of shipowners as to seaworthiness.
s.45 Expenses of medical and other treatment during voyage.
s.53 Medical treatment on board ship.
s.63 Inquiry into fitness or conduct of seaman other than officer.
s.71 Civil liability for smuggling.
s.72 Civil liability for fines imposed under immigration laws.
s.86 Provisions supplementary to section 85: general. compensation falling
s.92 Duty of ship to assist the other in case of collision. ship
s.100 Owner liable for unsafe operation of ship. owner of a ship
s.110 Payments of seamen’s wages.
s.117 Drunkenness on duty.
s.123 Fishing vessel certificates.
s.150 Annual Report. such report
s.153A Liability for pollution by bunker oil
s.153 Liability for oil pollution in case of tankers.
s.154 Liability for oil pollution in other cases. of the registered owners
... and 18 more duties

Offences and penalties 94

s.3 Offences relating to British character of ship.
s.4 Penalty for carrying improper colours.
s.9 Registration of ships: basic provisions.
s.14 Offences relating to a ship’s British connection.
s.15 Supplementary provisions as respects fishing vessels.
s.19 Tonnage regulations.
s.22 Forgery of documents: Scotland.
s.25 Crew agreements.
s.31 Account of seaman’s wages.
s.44 Complaints about provisions or water.
s.50 Production of certificates and other documents of qualification.
s.51 Crew’s knowledge of English.
s.52 Unqualified persons going to sea as qualified officers or seamen.
s.54 Special certificates of competence.
s.55 Young persons.
s.57 Uniform.
s.58 Conduct endangering ships, structures or individuals.
s.59 Concerted disobedience and neglect of duty.
s.66 Failure to deliver cancelled or suspended certificate.
s.77 Official log books.
... and 74 more offences and penalties

Powers 106

Schedule 1 Private Law Provisions for registered ships
s.8 Central register of British ships.
s.12 Tonnage of ships of foreign countries adopting tonnage regulations.
Schedule 14 Transitory, Saving and Transitional Provisions
s.18 Regulation of registration in British possessions by reference to categories of registries.
s.26 Regulations relating to crew agreements.
s.27 Discharge of seamen.
s.28 Seamen left behind abroad otherwise than on discharge.
s.32 Regulations relating to wages and accounts.
s.35 Power of court to award interest on wages due otherwise than under crew agreement.
s.40 Claims against seaman’s wages for maintenance, etc. of dependants.
s.43 Crew accommodation.
s.47 Manning.
s.56 Financial assistance for training.
s.60 Breaches by seamen of codes of conduct.
s.61 Inquiry into fitness or conduct of officer.
s.62 Disqualification of holder of certificate other than officer’s.
s.64 Re-hearing of and appeal from inquiries.
s.65 Rules as to inquiries and appeals.
s.67 Power to restore certificate.
... and 86 more powers

Definitions 36

s.1 British ships and United Kingdom ships. qualified owners small ship
s.7 Proceedings on forfeiture of a ship. the court
s.23 Interpretation.
s.36 Allotment notes.
s.84 Interpretation.
s.94 Meaning of “dangerously unsafe ship”.
s.130E Interpretation of Chapter IA.
s.143 Prosecutions and enforcement of fines. foreign company
s.145 Interpretation of section 144
s.151 Interpretation.
s.152 Meaning of “the Bunkers Convention”, “the Liability Convention” and related expressions. the Bunkers Convention Bunkers Convention country Bunkers Convention State
s.156A Liability under section 153, 153A or 154: supplementary provisions
s.170 Interpretation.
s.172 Meaning of the “Liability Convention”, “the Fund Convention” and related expressions. the Fund Convention the Fund Fund Convention country
s.181 Interpretation.
s.188 Loss of life or personal injuries: joint and several liability.
s.190 Time limit for proceedings against owners or ship.
s.191 Limitation of liability.
s.193 General and local lighthouse authorities.
s.223 Interpretation, etc.
... and 16 more definitions

Exemptions 44

s.2 British flag.
Schedule 4 Prevention of Oil Pollution: Transitory Provisions
Schedule 5 Overall Limit on Liability of Fund
s.5 Duty to show British flag.
Schedule 7 Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims 1976
Schedule 11 International Convention on Salvage 1989
s.16 Private law provisions for registered ships and liability as owner.
s.17 Ships bareboat chartered-in by British charterers.
s.21 Disclosure of information relating to registration by other government departments.
s.24 Application of this Part.
s.30 Payment of seamen’s wages.
s.39 Protection of certain rights and remedies.
s.48 Power to exempt from manning requirements.
s.68 Power to summon witness to inquiry into fitness or conduct of officer or other seaman.
s.70 Civil liability for absence without leave.
s.100A Power to establish temporary exclusion zones.
s.106 Unauthorised persons: offences relating to safety.
s.113 Restriction on assignment of and charge upon wages.
s.114 Right, or loss of right, to wages in certain circumstances.
s.119 Disciplinary offences.
... and 24 more exemptions

🧪 Business Context Testing

What this means for your business

What you must do

Appointments 1

Arrange medical care on board when no doctor is present

Inspections 1

Obtain a fishing vessel certificate for your boat

Management duties 9

Assist other vessel and exchange details after a collision

Comply with written directions from the General Lighthouse Authority

Discharge seafarers if ship loses UK registration unless they consent

Ensure ship is seaworthy before and during each voyage

Prevent drunkenness among crew while on duty

Provide security to obtain customs release of saved goods

Recover immigration penalties from absent seaman

Take reasonable steps to ensure safe operation of your ship

Use ship’s registration certificate only for lawful navigation

Notifications 3

Declare ship’s national character to customs before clearance

Provide statement of entitlement for unclaimed wrecks

Record and notify wrecks you take possession of

Other requirements 2

Compensate losses caused by smuggling

Cooperate with court orders on salvage payment apportionment

Payments and fees 8

Pay Coastguard for services protecting shipwrecked property

Pay compensation for misuse of distress signals

Pay for damage and cleanup from bunker oil pollution

Pay for oil pollution damage and clean‑up costs

Pay for oil spill damage and cleanup costs

Pay general light dues for ships using UK ports

Pay medical and burial expenses for crew abroad

Pay seamen their full wages

Offences and prohibitions 77

Assist or encourage a maritime offence

Breach discharge‑book regulations

Breach fishing vessel working hours regulations

Breach of passenger‑ship conduct rules

Cause breach of trans‑shipment notice

Collective crew disobedience or neglect of duty

Commit a UK offence abroad as a master or seaman

Conduct endangering ships, structures or individuals

Contravene a pollution‑prevention order for a ship

Damage or interfere with lighthouses, buoys or beacons

Discharge oil from ship into UK waters

Disobey receiver's direction in vessel distress

Employ under‑age persons on a UK ship

Enter a temporary exclusion zone without permission

Enter or leave port without required insurance certificate

Fail to address complaints about provisions or water

Fail to assist aircraft in distress

Fail to carry or produce wreck removal insurance certificate

Fail to carry required oil record book

Fail to comply with a prevention notice for a false light

Fail to comply with British seamen’s card regulations

Fail to comply with fishing vessel construction rules

Fail to comply with Merchant Shipping regulations

Fail to comply with official log‑book regulations

Fail to comply with, or obstruct, a safety direction

Fail to comply with wreck removal condition

Fail to deliver cancelled or suspended certificate

Fail to deliver up a certificate when required

Fail to deliver up wreck removal insurance certificate

Fail to deliver wrecked cargo to the authorised receiver

Fail to give information or assistance to ship surveyors

Fail to give notice of vessel alterations

Fail to give notice when finding a wreck

Fail to give required passenger notice

Fail to hand over expired or cancelled fishing vessel certificate

Fail to hand over ship documents to successor

Fail to have a valid bunkers insurance certificate

Fail to produce crew qualification certificate on demand

Fail to produce qualification certificate on demand

Fail to produce ship documents on request

Fail to provide required passenger return

Fail to provide required wage account to seaman

Fail to provide required wage and catch accounts

Fail to remove wreck after receiving notice

Fail to report a ship wreck

Fail to report oil discharge from a ship into harbour waters

Business Context Testing