UK Statutory Instrument SI 1998 United Kingdom

Merchant Shipping (Load Line) Regulations 1998

These Regulations replace section 89 and Schedule 3 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995, the Merchant Shipping (Load Line) Rules 1968 and amendments and other instruments made for the purpose of defining and elaborating Schedule 3, without substantive change. The Regulations apply the provisions of the International Convention on Load …

Read it on legislation.gov.uk (opens in a new tab)
Enforced by
MCA
Status
Amended (in force with amendments)
Penalty ceiling
Imprisonment 2 of 22 obligations carry an unlimited fine. 1 carries different penalties and 19 have no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.

Does it bind you?

Business-side roles with duties under this instrument.

Any Person19

Plus 3 duties on the regulator, Crown ministers and public bodies — folded into the section list below.

Other Acts binding the same actors

If a role above is yours, these are the other instruments that most often bind it.

Any Person — also bound by 2340 other Acts

What it requires

Regulations creating concrete business duties or carrying penalties, grouped as the instrument is structured. Titles link to the source text — blue means you’re leaving for legislation.gov.uk.

Part 1

GENERAL

1 of 6 sections shown
s.004 Application (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Check if your ship must comply with UK Load Line regulationsAny Person
5 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
s.001 Citation and commencement (opens in a new tab)
s.002 Interpretation (opens in a new tab)
s.003 Repeals and revocations (opens in a new tab)
s.005 Exemptions (opens in a new tab)
s.006 General compliance (opens in a new tab)
Part 2

SURVEYS AND CERTIFICATES

4 of 8 sections shown
s.007 Assignment of freeboards (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Assigning Authority must calculate and mark ship freeboardsStatutory regulator
s.008 Initial, periodical and annual surveys (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Ensure your ship undergoes initial, renewal, and annual surveysAny Person
s.010 Duration and extension of certificates (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Assigning Authority may extend Load Line certificatesStatutory regulator
s.012 Issue of exemption certificates (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State must issue Load Line Exemption CertificatesCrown / Minister / Government department
4 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
s.009 Issue of appropriate certificates (opens in a new tab)
s.011 Cancellation of certificates (opens in a new tab)
s.013 Publication of load line certificate and notification of draughts (opens in a new tab)
s.014 Non-United Kingdom ships (opens in a new tab)
Part 3

LOAD LINES AND MARKS

10 of 10 sections shown
s.015 Marking (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Mark your ship with load lines and deck-linesAny Person
s.016 Deck-line (opens in a new tab) Prosecution
  • Mark your ship with a deck-lineAny Person

Unlimited fine

s.017 Load line mark (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Mark your ship with a compliant load line (Plimsoll mark)Any Person
s.018 Load lines (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Mark your ship with the correct load lines and loading limitsAny Person
s.019 Timber load lines (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Mark and maintain timber load lines on shipsAny Person
s.020 Appropriate load line (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Use correct load lines for specific sea zones and seasonsAny Person
s.021 Position of load lines (opens in a new tab) Prosecution
  • Mark load lines at the correct vertical position on the ship's hullAny Person

Unlimited fine

s.022 Method of marking (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Mark your ship's load lines clearly and permanentlyAny Person
s.023 Authorisation of removal, etc. , of appropriate marks (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Maintain ship load line marks and seek authority for changesAny Person
s.024 Mark of Assigning Authority (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Follow size and placement rules for Assigning Authority marksAny Person
Part 4

CONDITIONS OF ASSIGNMENT

2 of 3 sections shown
s.025 Requirements relevant to the assignment of freeboards (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Ensure ship freeboards meet MSN 1701(M) standardsAny Person
s.027 Record of particulars (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Keep a record of ship particulars on board at all timesAny Person
1 other section in this Part — procedural and definitional
s.026 Compliance with conditions of assignment (opens in a new tab)
Part 5

FREEBOARDS

2 of 4 sections shown
s.029 Determination of freeboards (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Determine and assign correct freeboards for your shipAny Person
s.031 Special position of deck-line: correction of freeboards (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Ensure ship freeboards are corrected and recorded in the load line certificateAny Person
2 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
s.028 Types of freeboard (opens in a new tab)
s.030 Greater than minimum freeboards (opens in a new tab)
Part 6

INFORMATION FOR THE MASTER

2 of 2 sections shown
s.032 Information as to stability of ships (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Provide and maintain ship stability information for the masterAny Person
s.033 Information as to loading and ballasting of ships (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Provide loading and ballasting instructions for large bulk carriersAny Person
Part 7

EQUIVALENTS, PENALTIES AND DETENTION

1 of 4 sections shown
s.036 Offences and penalties in relation to certificates and surveys (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Alter, forge or misuse load line certificatesAny Person
3 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
s.034 Equivalents (opens in a new tab)
s.035 Penalties (opens in a new tab)
s.037 Detention (opens in a new tab)

Help complying

Guvnor’s practical routes through this instrument.

1 more guide that reference this instrument
Register and operate a sea-going ship

Duty extraction and severity labels are Guvnor’s analysis of the instrument, not the instrument itself. Always verify against the linked source text.