# The Merchant Shipping (Ro-Ro Passenger Ships) (Stability) Regulations 2004, Note: Explanatory note

Extent: E+W+S+N.I.

(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations implement Directive 2003/25/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14th April 2003 on specific stability requirements for ro-ro passenger ships (O.J. L 123, 17.5.2003, p.22) (“the Directive”), which applies to the European Economic Area by virtue of Joint Committee Decision 157 and 158.
Regulation 3(1) of the Regulations sets out the ships to which the Directive applies. Regulation 4 sets out the stability requirements to which such ships are subject: in the case of existing ships those requirements are imposed by the Directive only from 2010 or 2015, as appropriate. Regulation 6 sets out the certification requirements of the Directive, and regulation 7 contains provisions regarding seasonal and short-time period operation.
The Regulations also implement those provisions of the Agreement concluded at Stockholm on 27 and 28 February 1996 (“the Stockholm Agreement”, published in Merchant Shipping Notice M1673) which have now been superseded by Directive 2003/25/EC. They also extend the requirements of the Stockholm Agreement to High Speed Craft which are ro-ro passenger craft operating on regular scheduled services in the United Kingdom.
Regulation 3(2) sets out the ships to which the requirements of the Stockholm Agreement are applied, and regulation 5(3) specifies the stability requirements applicable to those ships. Regulation 5(1) and (2) makes ships to which the Directive applies only from 2010 or 2015 subject to the requirements of the Stockholm Agreement in the period before the requirements of the Directive apply. Regulation 8 enables the Secretary of State to make exemptions from the requirements of the Stockholm Agreement.
The Merchant Shipping (Ro-Ro Passenger Ship Survivability) Regulations 1997 (S.I. 1997/647), which previously implemented the Stockholm Agreement, are revoked, and a statutory reference to those Regulations amended.
A Regulatory Impact Assessment and Transposition Note have been prepared and copies placed in the Library of each House of Parliament. Copies can be obtained from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Spring Place, 105 Commercial Road, Southampton, SO15 1EG.
Merchant Shipping Notices can be read or downloaded free from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency website (www.mcga.gov.uk). Printed copies can be obtained from Mail Marketing (Scotland) Ltd, Unit 6 Bloomsgrove Industrial Estate, Norton Street, Nottingham, NG7 3JG (telephone 0115 901 3336). Resolutions of the International Maritime Organisation can be obtained from the International Maritime Organisation, 4 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7SR.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2004/2884/note (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/merchant-shipping-ro-ro-passenger-ships-stability-regulations-2004/note
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.