# The Merchant Shipping (High-Speed Craft) Regulations 1996, Regulation 3: Application


(1) These Regulations apply to every high-speed craft which meets all of the following criteria:
(a) it is a craft constructed on or after 1st January 1996;
(b) it is a:
(i) passenger craft which does not proceed in the course of its voyage more than 4 hours at operational speed from a place of refuge when fully laden; or
(ii) cargo craft of 500 gross tons or more which does not proceed in the course of its voyage more than 8 hours at operational speed from a place of refuge when fully laden; or
(iii) craft carrying less than 12 passengers and used for hire or reward; or
(iv) craft of less than 500 gross tons and used for carrying cargo for hire or reward;
(c) it is (wholly or partly)—
(i) sea-going; or
(ii) operating in any Category A, B, C or D waters;
(d) it is—
(i) a United Kingdom high-speed craft; or
(ii) any other high-speed craft, when in United Kingdom waters;
and
(e) it is not a pleasure craft, within the meaning of regulation 3 of the Merchant Shipping (Vessels in Commercial Use for Sport or Pleasure) Regulations 1993.
(2) These Regulations also apply to high-speed craft constructed before 1st January 1996 and falling within all the criteria in paragraph (1)(b) to (e) above in respect of repairs, alterations and modifications of a major character made after 1st January 1996.
(4) In this regulation—
(a) Category A, B, C or D waters are waters specified as such in Merchant Shipping Notices No. M.1504 and 1569; and
(b) “gross tons” means gross tons within the meaning of regulation 6 of the Merchant Shipping (Tonnage) Regulations 1982.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1996/3188/regulation/3 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/merchant-shipping-high-speed-craft-regulations-1996/regulation-3
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.