# The Merchant Shipping (Watercraft) Order 2023, Paragraph 1: Application of the Merchant Shipping (Distress Signals and Prevention of Collisions) Regulations 1996

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

The Merchant Shipping (Distress Signals and Prevention of Collisions) Regulations 1996 apply in relation to watercraft as they apply in relation to ships, as if—
(a) in paragraph (1)(a) of regulation 2 (application)—
(i) the reference to United Kingdom ships includes a reference to watercraft registered in the United Kingdom under the Merchant Shipping Act 1995, and
(ii) the reference to other ships includes a reference to other watercraft;
(b) the references in regulation 5 (exemptions) to any ship or description of ships includes a reference to any watercraft or description of watercraft;
(c) any reference to a master includes a reference to any person for the time being using a watercraft.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2023/35/schedule/2/paragraph/1 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/merchant-shipping-watercraft-order-2023/schedule-2/paragraph-1
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.