OpenLegislation

Merchant Shipping Act 1979

1979 c. 39 · Enacted 4 April 1979 · Extends to United Kingdom

Up to date with all changes known to legislation.gov.uk, revised to 1 January 1996.

An Act to make amendments of the law relating to pilotage, carriage by sea, liability of shipowners and salvors and pollution from ships and other amendments of the law relating to shipping, pollution and seamen.

[4th April 1979]C1C2C3I1

Annotations to the whole text

Modifications

C1

Act modified by Merchant Shipping Act 1988 (c. 12, SIF 111), s. 47(2)(b), (with s. 58(4), Sch. 8 para. 1 and by S.I. 1989/1991, art. 10

C2

Act excluded by S.I. 1989/1991, arts. 11–13

C3

Act (other than certain provisions) excluded by S.I. 1989/1991, art. 14

Commencement

I1

Act not in force at Royal Assent see s. 52(2)

Contents

  1. 1–12. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  2. 13Section 13
  3. Carriage of passengers and luggage by sea
  4. 14. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  5. 15. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  6. 16. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  7. Liability of shipowners and salvors
  8. 17. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  9. 18. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  10. 19. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  11. Prevention of pollution from ships etc.
  12. 20. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  13. 20A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  14. Safety and health on ships
  15. 21. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  16. 22. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  17. Discipline
  18. 23. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  19. 24. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  20. 25. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  21. Inspectors
  22. 26. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  23. 27. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  24. 28. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  25. Deaths on ships
  26. 29. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  27. 30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  28. Miscellaneous
  29. 31. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  30. 32. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  31. 33. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  32. 34. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  33. 35. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  34. 36. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  35. 37. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  36. 38. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  37. 39. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  38. 40Foreign action affecting shipping.
  39. 41. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  40. Offences
  41. 42. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  42. 43. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  43. 44. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  44. 45. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  45. 46. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  46. Supplemental
  47. 47. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  48. 48. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  49. 49. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  50. 50. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  51. 51. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  52. 52. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  53. Schedule 1. . .
  54. Schedule 2. . .
  55. Schedule 3
  56. Part I: Text of Convention
  57. Chapter Article 1
  58. Definitions
  59. 1Paragraph 1
  60. 2Paragraph 2
  61. 3Paragraph 3
  62. 4Paragraph 4
  63. 5Paragraph 5
  64. 6Paragraph 6
  65. 7Paragraph 7
  66. 8Paragraph 8
  67. 9Paragraph 9
  68. Chapter Article 2
  69. Application
  70. Chapter Article 3
  71. Liability of the carrier
  72. Chapter Article 4
  73. Performing carrier
  74. Chapter Article 5
  75. Valuables
  76. Chapter Article 6
  77. Contributory fault
  78. Chapter Article 7
  79. Limit of liability for personal injury
  80. Chapter Article 8
  81. Limit of liability for loss of or damage to luggage
  82. Chapter Article 9
  83. Monetary unit and conversion
  84. Chapter Article 10
  85. Supplementary provisions on limits of liability
  86. Chapter Article 11
  87. Defences and limits for carriers’ servants
  88. Chapter Article 12
  89. Aggregation of claims
  90. Chapter Article 13
  91. Loss of right to limit liability
  92. Chapter Article 14
  93. Basis for claims
  94. Chapter Article 15
  95. Notice of loss or damage to luggage
  96. Chapter Article 16
  97. Time-bar for actions
  98. Chapter Article 17
  99. Competent jurisdiction
  100. Chapter Article 18
  101. Invalidity of contractual provisions
  102. Chapter Article 19
  103. Other conventions on limitation of liability
  104. Chapter Article 20
  105. Nuclear damage
  106. Chapter Article 21
  107. Commercial carriage by public authorities
  108. Part II: Provisions having effect in connection with Convention
  109. Interpretation
  110. Provisions adapting or supplementing specified articles of the Convention
  111. Other provisions adapting or supplementing the Convention
  112. 10Paragraph 10
  113. 11Paragraph 11
  114. Application of ss. 502 and 503 of Merchant Shipping Act 1894 and section 17 and 18 of this Act
  115. 12Paragraph 12
  116. 13Paragraph 13
  117. Part III: Modifications of Parts I and II in consequence of Protocol of 19th November 1976
  118. Chapter Article 9
  119. Unit of account and conversion
  120. Schedule 4
  121. Part I: Text of Convention
  122. I. The Right of LimitationChapter I. The Right of Limitation
  123. Persons entitled to limit liability
  124. 1Paragraph 1
  125. 2Paragraph 2
  126. 3Paragraph 3
  127. 5Paragraph 5
  128. 6Paragraph 6
  129. 7Paragraph 7
  130. Claims subject to limitation
  131. Claims excepted from limitation
  132. Conduct barring limitation
  133. Counterclaims
  134. II. Limits of LiabilityChapter II. Limits of Liability
  135. The general limits
  136. The limit for passenger claims
  137. Unit of Account
  138. Aggregation of claims
  139. Limitation of liability without constitution of a limitation fund
  140. III. The Limitation FundChapter III. The Limitation Fund
  141. Constitution of the fund
  142. Distribution of the fund
  143. Bar to other actions
  144. Governing law
  145. IV. Scope of ApplicationChapter IV. Scope of Application
  146. Part II: Provisions having effect in connection with Convention
  147. Interpretation
  148. Right to limit liability
  149. Claims subject to limitation
  150. The general limits
  151. Limit for passenger claims
  152. Units of Account
  153. Constitution of fund
  154. 8Paragraph 8
  155. Distribution of land
  156. 9Paragraph 9
  157. Bar to other actions
  158. 10Paragraph 10
  159. Meaning of “court”
  160. 11Paragraph 11
  161. Meaning of “ship”
  162. 12Paragraph 12
  163. Meaning of “State Party”
  164. 13Paragraph 13
  165. Schedule 5
  166. The Merchant Shipping (Liability of Shipowners and Others) Act 1900
  167. 1Paragraph 1
  168. 2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  169. The Crown Proceedings Act 1947
  170. 3Paragraph 3
  171. The Hovercraft Act 1968
  172. 4Paragraph 4
  173. The Carriage of Goods by Sea Act 1971
  174. 5Paragraph 5
  175. The Merchant Shipping (Oil Pollution) Act 1971
  176. 6Paragraph 6
  177. Schedule 6
  178. IMaximum Fine of £50 on Summary Conviction
  179. IIMaximum Fine of £200 on Summary Conviction
  180. IIIMaximum Fine of £500 on Summary Conviction
  181. IVMaximum Fine of £1,000 on Summary Conviction
  182. VFine on Conviction on Indictment and Maximum Fine of £1,000 on Summary Conviction
  183. Part VI: Miscellaneous Penalties on Summary Conviction
  184. Maximum fines of £50
  185. 1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  186. 2Paragraph 2
  187. 3Paragraph 3
  188. 4Paragraph 4
  189. Maximum fines of £200 and £20 a day
  190. 5Paragraph 5
  191. 6Paragraph 6
  192. 7Paragraph 7
  193. 8Paragraph 8
  194. 9Paragraph 9
  195. Miscellaneous
  196. 10Paragraph 10
  197. 11Paragraph 11
  198. 12Paragraph 12
  199. 13Paragraph 13
  200. 14Paragraph 14
  201. 15Paragraph 15
  202. 16Paragraph 16
  203. 17Paragraph 17
  204. 18Paragraph 18
  205. 19Paragraph 19
  206. 20Paragraph 20
  207. Part VII: Other Penalties
  208. The Merchant Shipping Act 1894
  209. The Merchant Shipping Act 1921 1921 c. 28.
  210. The Merchant Shipping (Safety Convention) Act 1949
  211. The Merchant Shipping (Load Lines) Act 1967
  212. The Merchant Shipping Act 1970
  213. 21Paragraph 21
  214. The Merchant Shipping Act 1974
  215. 22Paragraph 22
  216. Schedule 7
  217. IEnactments Relating to Liability of Shipowners and Salvors
  218. IIOther Enactments