# The Merchant Shipping (Domestic Passenger Ships) (Safety Management Code) Regulations 2001, Regulation 3: Application


(1) These Regulations apply to passenger ships, other than ships engaged on international voyages, which are of the classes numbered in column 1 below which have the descriptions set out in column 2 below:
Class III
Ships engaged only on voyages in the course of which they are at no time more than 70 miles by sea from their point of departure nor more than 18 miles from the coast of the United Kingdom, and which are at sea only in favourable weather and during restricted periods
Class IV
Ships engaged only on voyages in Category A, B, C or D waters
Class V
Ships engaged only on voyages in Category A, B or C waters
Class VI
Ships engaged only on voyages, carrying not more than 250 passengers, to sea or in Category A, B, C or D waters, in all cases in favourable weather and during restricted periods, in the course of which the ships are at no time more than 15 miles, exclusive of any Category A, B, C or D waters, from their point of departure nor more than 3 miles from land
Class VI(A)
Ships carrying not more than 50 passengers for a distance of not more than 6 miles on voyages to or from isolated communities on the islands or coast of the United Kingdom and which do not proceed for a distance of more than 3 miles from land
(2) These Regulations do not apply to those companies and ships to which the Merchant Shipping (International Safety Management (ISM) Code) Regulations 2026 apply.
(3) These Regulations do not apply to a high speed craft as defined in regulation 2(1) of the Merchant Shipping (High Speed Craft) Regulations 2022.
(4) These Regulations do not apply to passenger ships to which the Merchant Shipping (Passenger Ships) (Safety Code for UK Categorised Waters) Regulations 2010 apply.
(5) These Regulations do not apply to vessels to which the Merchant Shipping (Technical Requirements for Inland Waterway Vessels) Regulations 2010 apply.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2001/3209/regulation/3 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/merchant-shipping-domestic-passenger-ships-safety-management-code-regulations-2001/regulation-3
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.