What this covers
Why you need it
Parliament created it. The power to require it comes from Merchant Shipping Act 1995.
What the Act carries
What our graph holds for Merchant Shipping Act 1995 as a whole — the Act behind this licence, not the licence conditions themselves.
- Duties on businesses
- 161
- Penalties
- 107
- Exemptions
- 50
Duties on businesses under the Act
- Cooperate fully with salvors and accept redelivery of your vessel or property sch. 11 para. 2
- Misrepresent a ship’s British nationality s.3
- Misrepresent ship as British or conceal nationality s.3
- Hoist unauthorised colours on a British ship s.4
- Declare the ship's nationality before departing port s.6
- Fail to cancel foreign ship registration s.9
… and 155 more business duties in the same Act.
What happens if you get it wrong
- Take reasonable steps to ensure safe operation of your ship 2 years imprisonment
- Breach of ship safety and health regulations 2 years imprisonment
- Collective crew disobedience or neglect of duty 2 years imprisonment
- Endanger ship, structure or person by act or omission 2 years imprisonment
- Contravene a pollution‑prevention order for a ship 2 years imprisonment
… and 102 more penalties in the same Act.
Exemptions that may take you outside it
- Bareboat chartered-in ships can register as British ships — You are a person qualified to own a British ship and have a ship on bareboat charter terms (giving you …
- British ships registered in overseas territories may fly defaced red ensign — Your ship is registered in a relevant British possession and the defaced or modified red ensign for that possession has …
- Casualties covered by the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973 — An order under section 2 of the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973 is already in effect for the ship or …
- Court-ordered wage attachments allowed for fishing vessel crew — Wages due to a person employed in a fishing vessel
- Customs and Coastguard officers exempt from Receiver of Wreck fees — A Customs and Excise or Coastguard officer performing the functions of a Receiver of Wreck
… and 45 more exemptions in the same Act.
Read our full dossier on Merchant Shipping Act 1995
Who issues it
This one does not go to your council. It is issued by Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
Where to apply
Duty, penalty and exemption labels are Guvnor’s analysis of the enabling instrument, not the instrument itself. Fees, forms and conditions are set by the issuing authority — always check the linked source.