# The Iran (Sanctions) (Amendment) Regulations 2026, Regulation 18: Ships: technical assistance and the provision and procurement of services


After regulation 43 (brokering services: non-UK activity relating to goods of strategic concern and technology or strategic concern), insert—
“Chapter 4A
Ships
Interpretation of this Chapter
43A In this Chapter—
“chartering services” means services associated with the chartering of a ship;
“crew services” means services associated with the manning of a ship or the provision of a crew or members of a crew for a ship;
“operating services” means services associated with the operation of a ship;
“ship” includes every description of vessel (including a hovercraft) used in navigation;
“specified ship” means a ship specified by the Secretary of State under regulation 51 (specification of ships).
Technical assistance relating to ships
43B (1) A person must not directly or indirectly provide technical assistance relating to a ship to, or for the benefit of, a designated person.
(2) Paragraph (1) is subject to Part 8 (Exceptions and licences).
(3) A person who contravenes a prohibition in paragraph (1) commits an offence, but it is a defence for a person charged with an offence of contravening paragraph (1) (“P”) to show that P did not know and had no reasonable cause to suspect that the technical assistance was provided to, or for the benefit of, a designated person.
(4) In this regulation, a “designated person” means a person designated under regulation 5 (power to designate persons) for the purposes of this regulation.
Provision of services relating to specified ships
43C (1) A person must not directly or indirectly provide in relation to a specified ship—
(a) brokering services;
(b) chartering services;
(c) crew services;
(d) financial services or funds;
(e) operating services;
(f) technical assistance;
(2) A person must not directly or indirectly provide services relating to the acquisition, sale, transfer or supply of a specified ship.
(3) Paragraphs (1) and (2) are subject to Part 8 (Exceptions and licences).
(4) A person who contravenes a prohibition in paragraph (1) or (2) commits an offence, but—
(a) it is a defence for a person charged with the offence of contravening paragraph (1) (“P”) to show that P did not know and had no reasonable cause to suspect that the ship in relation to which the assistance, services or funds (as the case may be) were provided was a specified ship;
(b) it is a defence for a person charged with the offence of contravening paragraph (2) (“Q”) to show that Q did not know and had no reasonable cause to suspect that the ship in relation to whose acquisition, sale, transfer or supply the services where provided was a specified ship.
Procurement of services relating to specified ships
43D (1) A person must not directly or indirectly procure services relating to a specified ship.
(2) For the purposes of this regulation, services relating to a specified ship include, in particular, services involving the use of that specified ship.
(3) Paragraph (1) is subject to Part 8 (Exceptions and licences).
(4) A person who contravenes the prohibition in paragraph (1) commits an offence, but it is a defence for a person charged with the offence of contravening paragraph (1) (“P”) to show that P did not know and had no reasonable cause to suspect that the ship in relation to which the services were procured was a specified ship.”.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2026/983/regulation/18 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/iran-sanctions-amendment-regulations-2026/regulation-18
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.