# The Merchant Shipping (Anti-Fouling Systems) Regulations 2024, Regulation 12: Offences and penalties


(1) Any contravention of—
(a) regulation 6(1), (2) or (4) (prohibitions and requirements for ships);
(b) regulation 7(3)(a) or (b), or (6) (AFS-Certificates: ships of 400 gross tonnage or above);
(c) regulation 8(3) (AFS-Declarations: ships of less than 400 gross tonnage);
(d) regulation 10(1) or (2) (availability of certificates and other documents),
is an offence by the owner and master in respect of each case of non-compliance.
(2) Any contravention of regulation 9(3) (alteration etc. of a certificate) is an offence by the person in question.
(3) An offence under paragraph (1) or (2) is punishable—
(a) on summary conviction—
(i) in England and Wales by a fine; or
(ii) in Scotland or Northern Ireland by a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum; or
(b) on conviction on indictment by a fine.
(4) It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under this regulation to prove that the person charged took all reasonable steps to avoid the commission of the offence.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2024/509/regulation/12 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/merchant-shipping-anti-fouling-systems-regulations-2024/regulation-12
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.