# The Merchant Shipping (Watercraft) Order 2023, Paragraph 2: Application of the Merchant Shipping (EPIRB and PLB Registration) (Radiocommunications) (Amendment) Regulations 2026

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

(1) The following provisions of the Merchant Shipping (EPIRB and PLB Registration and Radiocommunications) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 apply in relation to watercraft as they apply in relation to ships.
(2) Regulation 3 (interpretation), for the purposes of interpreting an applied shipping provision mentioned in this paragraph.
(3) Regulation 5 (requirement in relation to EPIRB registration), as if—
(a) in paragraph (1)—
(i) the reference to an owner and master of a ship was a reference to an owner and operator of a watercraft;
(ii) the reference to a ship was a reference to a watercraft;
(b) for paragraph (2) there were substituted—
“(2) The registered particulars referred to in paragraph (1) are the particulars specified in paragraph 2.1 of Merchant Shipping Notice 1924 (M+F).”;
(c) in paragraph (3), the reference to an owner and master of a ship was a reference to an owner and operator of a watercraft.
(4) Regulation 6 (requirement in relation to PLB registration), as if—
(a) in paragraph (1)(b), the reference to a ship was a reference to a watercraft;
(b) for paragraph (2) there were substituted—
“(2) The registered particulars referred to in paragraph (1) are the particulars specified in paragraph 3.1 of Merchant Shipping Notice 1924 (M+F).”.
(5) Regulation 7 (offences and penalties), as if in paragraph (1)—
(a) the reference to the owner and master was a reference to the owner and operator of the watercraft;
(b) the reference to a ship was a reference to a watercraft.
(6) Regulation 8 (detention), as if—
(a) in paragraphs (2) and (4), the reference to a ship was a reference to a watercraft;
(b) in paragraph (4), the reference to the master of the ship was a reference to the owner of the watercraft.

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