Explanatory note

These Regulations amend the Merchant Shipping (Light Dues) Regulations 1997.

The Regulations reduce the amounts of the annual payment for tugs and fishing vessels from £202 to £190, and from £21 to £20 for each metre of length in excess of 10 metres. Where instead of an annual payment, two equal payments are made, these are reduced from £114 to £110 (Regulation 2(a) and (b)).

The Regulations also reduce the amount of light dues payable per voyage in respect of ships other than tugs, fishing vessels and pleasure vessels, from 41 pence per ton to 40 pence per ton. They further provide that the maximum charge for such light dues will now be £16,000 per voyage (Regulation 2(c)).

The decreases overall represent in the order of a 5% reduction in charges. This has been made possible by the increased efficiency of the General Lighthouse Authorities.