Explanatory note

These Regulations amend the eligibility rules relating to Part I and Part III of the Register of British Ships, contained within the Merchant Shipping (Registration of Ships) Regulations 1993 (S.I. 1993/3138) (“the Registration Regulations”). The rules relating to Part I are amended by regulation 5, which expands eligibility to Commonwealth citizens, citizens of states listed in a further list (in a new Schedule 6 to the Registration Regulations), and non-United Kingdom citizens who are settled in the United Kingdom. The rules relating to Part III (small ships) are amended by regulation 25 which expands eligibility to non-United Kingdom citizens who are settled in the United Kingdom.

These Regulations provide for a system to suspend the registration of ships as United Kingdom ships, in a new Part 10A of the Registration Regulations. The suspension is begun by the issuance of a certificate of permission, and ends when the ship’s registration is restored, or when the entry relating to the ship is removed from the Register. These Regulations provide for the conditions for the issue, renewal, amendment, cancellation and revocation of a certificate of permission, for the restoration of registration and for the removal of the entry from the Register in appropriate cases. Regulation 33 of these Regulations amends the Merchant Shipping (Fees) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1104) to provide for fees to be charged for this process.

These Regulations also make amendments to the Registration Regulations so that the Registrar can refuse to register sanctioned ships and can terminate the registration of sanctioned ships on receipt of a termination direction from the Secretary of State, in accordance with regulation 77 of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/411).

An impact assessment has not been prepared for this instrument as it has minimal impact on the private sector. No impact is expected on the public sector, charities or voluntary bodies. An Explanatory Memorandum is available alongside the instrument on the UK legislation website, www.legislation.gov.uk.