Introductory text

Whereas subsections (1) and (2) of section 14 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1979 provide for the Athens Convention relating to the Carriage of Passengers and their Luggage by Sea (set out in Schedule 3 to that Act) to have the force of law in the United Kingdom but those subsections do not come into force until an order for that purpose is made under section 52(2) of the Act:

And whereas by virtue of section 16(1) of that Act the Carriage of Passengers and their Luggage by Sea (Interim Provisions) Order 1980^f1 provides for the said Athens Convention to apply to certain contracts for international carriage (being contracts made on or after 1st January 1981 but, by virtue of Article 3 of that Order, only until such time as subsections (1) and (2) of the said section 14 come into force:

And whereas a draft of this Order has been laid before Parliament in accordance with section 16(5) of the Merchant Shipping Act 1979^f2 (hereinafter referred to as “the Act”) and has been approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament: