The Merchant Shipping (Registration of Ships) Regulations 1993
At a glance
Enforced by
What's here
8 compliance obligations, 1 practical guide
Who this Act binds
Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.
- Any Person 7
- Operator 1
Relevant guidance
Practical guides for businesses affected by this Act, ordered by how closely they engage with it.
Supporting — topic alignment
1 guidesOther Acts binding the same actors
For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.
Any Person also bound by 2338 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Human Medicines Regulations 2012 2012 169 duties
- Merchant Shipping Act 1995 1995 144 duties
- Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016 2016 101 duties
- Road Traffic Act 1988 1988 95 duties
- Air Navigation Order 2016 2016 95 duties
Operators also bound by 730 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 (Air Operations) 2012 138 duties
- Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2066 of 19 December 2018 on the monitoring and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions pursuant to Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and amending Commission Regulation (EU) No 601/2012 (Text with EEA relevance) 2018 121 duties
- Commission Regulation (EU) No 601/2012 of 21 June 2012 on the monitoring and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions pursuant to Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (Text with EEA relevance) (repealed) 2012 112 duties
- Space Industry Regulations 2021 2021 75 duties
- Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2016 on transmissible animal diseases and amending and repealing certain acts in the area of animal health (‘Animal Health Law’) (Text with EEA relevance) 2016 66 duties
What this Act requires
Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.
Part I — GENERAL
Browse 1 other section in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Citation, commencement and interpretation
Part II — THE REGISTER OF BRITISH SHIPS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
Browse 5 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
The Register
Registration of fishing vessels to be of two kinds
Fishing vessels changing from full registration to simple registration subject to conditions
Registration on only one Part of the Register
Trusts not to be entered
Part III — QUALIFICATION AND ENTITLEMENT FOR REGISTRATION ON PART I OF THE REGISTER
Browse 5 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Persons qualified to be owners of ships to be registered on Part I of the Register
British connection and majority interest
For the purposes of regulation 8:— (a) one or more...
Government ships
Fishing vessels excluded from Part I
Part IV — QUALIFICATION AND ENTITLEMENT OF BRITISH FISHING VESSELS TO BE REGISTERED ON PART II OF THE REGISTER
Browse 6 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Eligibility
(1) Subject to the relevant provisions of the sanctions regulations,...
British connection and representative persons for fishing vessels
Dispensations
Appointment of inspectors
Exemptions from section 5(1) of the Act
Part V — APPOINTMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE PERSONS
Appointment of representative persons
- Appoint a UK-based representative person for your ship Any Person
Browse 1 other section in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Service on representative persons
Part VI — REGISTRATION
Notification of changes of ownership etc.
- Notify the Registrar of changes affecting ship registration eligibility Any Person
Browse 38 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Form of application
The applicant
Applications for registration
Appointment of managing owner
Applications by bodies corporate
Declaration of intent
Form of declaration of intent
Declaration of eligibility to be submitted before registration
Evidence of title on ... registration
Survey and measurement of ship
Engine power of fishing vessels registered on Part II or Part IV of the Register
Where the Registrar is not satisfied that the engine power...
Names
Allocation of official number and port of choice
Marking
Inspection of marks
Verification of measurement and carving and marking
Cancellation of carving and marking note
Registration and refusal of registration of a ship
Issue of certificate of registry
Temporary registration documents for fishing vessels
Period of registration
Documents to be retained by the Registrar
Renewal notices and time limit for renewal
Application for renewal of registration
Evidence of title on registration of transfer of ship
Form of bill of sale
Registration of transfer of a ship
Evidence of title on transmission of a registered ship
Declaration of eligibility on transfer or transmission
Refusal of registration of transfer or transmission
(1) Where there is any transfer or transmission of a...
Change in registered particulars of ship
Change of name
Transfer of port of choice
Re-marking of ship
Registration of changes of name or port of choice
Removal from the Register
Part VII — MORTGAGES
Browse 7 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Form of mortgage
Registration of mortgage
Notices by intending mortgagees: priority notices
Evidence of transmission of mortgage.
Transfer or transmission of registered mortgage
Discharge of mortgages
Effect of termination of registration on registered mortgage
Part VIII — PROVISIONAL REGISTRATION
Browse 7 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Provisional registration
Application for provisional registration
Scrutiny of particulars of eligibility
Period of provisional registration
Certificate of provisional registration
Provisional registration not to be renewed
Condition of provisional registration for fishing vessels
Part IX — TRANSFER OF REGISTRATION
Browse 3 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Transfer of registration to relevant British possession
Transfer of registration from relevant British possession
Transfer within the Register
Part 10A — BAREBOAT CHARTER-OUT
Browse 13 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Suspension from the Register
Suspension under a Certificate of Permission
Application for Certificate of Permission
Conditions for Certificate of Permission
Removal of Marking
Format and Duration of Certificate
Cancellation of Certificate of Registry
Renewal of Certificate of Permission
Amendment of Certificate of Permission
Cancellation
Revocation
Restoration of Registration
Removal of an Entry Relating to a Suspended Ship from the Register
Part X — BAREBOAT CHARTER-IN
Appointment of representative person
- Appoint a representative person if you are a non-resident charterer Any Person
Marking
- Mark and carve the ship with required details after receiving the carving and marking note Any Person
Notification of changes
- Notify the Registrar of any change affecting bareboat charter ship eligibility Any Person
Closure of bareboat charter ship’s registration by the Registrar
- Charterer must surrender certificate when bareboat registration is closed Any Person
Browse 11 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Qualification and entitlement for registration of bareboat charter ships other than fishing vessels
Qualification and entitlement for registration of a fishing vessel as a bareboat charter ship
Dispensations for the bareboat charterers of fishing vessels
Applications
Names
Allocation of identifying number; port of choice and port numbers
Inspection of marks etc
Registration
Period of registration
Application of other regulations to this Part
Notification to foreign registries by Registrar
Part XI — REGISTRATION OF SMALL SHIPS
Browse 13 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Qualification and entitlement to be registered as a small ship on Part III of the Register
Persons qualified to be the owners of a small ship to be registered on Part III of the Register
British connection
Disapplication of Schedule I to the Act in respect of small ships
Applications
Details to be registered and refusal
Certificate of registry
Marking
Period of registration
Renewal
Notification of changes of ownership etc.
Supplementary information-production of ship
Termination of registration
Part XII — MISCELLANEOUS
Service of notices
- Provide proof of UK eligibility when Registrar demands it Operator
Surrender of certificate on termination or expiry of registration
- Return ship's certificate to the registrar when registration ends Any Person
Browse 14 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Copy of notice to be sent to mortgagee
Documents not in the English language to be accompanied by a translation
Witnessing of documents
Dispensing with declarations
Copies of documents
Requirement for supplementary information
Fees
Duplicate certificates
Custody of certificate
Dispensing with production of certificate
Status of a Part II certificate under Sea Fisheries legislation
Removal of marks on cessation of registration
Transfers etc. where tonnage not in accordance with ITC 69
Review
Part XIII — OFFENCES
Browse 1 other section in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Offences
Part XIV — TRANSITIONALS
Browse 8 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Definitions for this Part
Validity of old certificates
Continuation in force of old certificates
Registered information
Issue of new certificates of registry
Advertisement rather than renewal notice
Applications for registration made before commencement of these Regulations
Managing owners for fishing vessels
Part XV — SUPPLEMENTARY
Browse 1 other section in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Any reference in any Act other than the Act or...
Schedules
Browse 26 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
Every application to the Registrar to approve a name shall...
Where a ship having once been registered has ceased to...
In respect of an application to register a ship, other...
In respect of an application to register a fishing vessel...
Subject to paragraph 5 below, if the Registrar is satisfied...
Notwithstanding that the Registrar is satisfied as to paragraphs 2...
Any approval given under paragraphs 2 or 3 shall be...
If the Registrar is not so satisfied he shall notify...
Notwithstanding paragraph 6, the Registrar may allow the reservation of...
Applications for a reservation under paragraph 8 must be accompanied...
Every ship is required, before it may be registered, to...
The Secretary of State may exempt any class of ship...
Subject to any exemption in respect of that class of...
A pleasure vessel which is under 24 metres in length...
A fishing vessel is to be marked as follows:—
A scale of decimetres, or metres and decimetres, denoting a...
The name of a ship shall be marked in Roman...
The following information is to be registered about each owner...
The following information is to be registered about each owner...
The following information is to be registered about:—
The following information is to be registered about ships registered...
The following is to be registered about fishing vessels registered...
In addition to the information in either paragraph 4 or...
A certificate of registry for a ship registered or to...
A certificate of registry for a fishing vessel registered or...
Bareboat Charter Ships A certificate of bareboat charter registry for...
Official guidance
Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.
- Tonnage Tax (HMRC) (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- MCA: ship inspections and surveys (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- UK Ship Register (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
Enforcement and responsible bodies
The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.
Maritime and Coastguard Agency
Maritime safety regulator responsible for implementing UK and international maritime law. Provides 24-hour search and rescue coordination. Issues certifications for ships and …
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Regulators
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