# The Merchant Shipping (Watercraft) Order 2023, Paragraph 3: Application of the Merchant Shipping (Vessels in Commercial Use for Sport or Pleasure) Regulations 2025


(1) The following provisions of the Merchant Shipping (Vessels in Commercial Use for Sport or Pleasure) Regulations 2025 apply in relation to watercraft as they apply in relation to ships.
(2) Regulation 3 (general interpretation), for the purposes of interpreting an applied shipping provision mentioned in this paragraph.
(3) Regulation 5 (exemptions) as if in paragraph (2) the reference to a vessel was a reference to watercraft.
(4) Regulation 6 (equivalents) as if in paragraph (3) the reference to a small vessel was a reference to a watercraft.
(5) Regulation 7 (approvals) as if the reference to a United Kingdom ship was a reference to a watercraft in United Kingdom waters.
(6) Regulation 20 (requirements for small vessels) as if in paragraph (1) the reference to a small vessel was a reference to a watercraft.
(7) Regulation 23 (offences), as if in paragraph (1)—
(a) the reference to a vessel was a reference to a watercraft; and
(b) the reference to the owner and master was a reference to the owner and operator of the watercraft.
(8) Regulation 24 (detention of vessels), as if—
(a) a reference to a vessel was a reference to a watercraft; and
(b) a reference to the master was a reference to the owner or operator of the watercraft.

---
Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2023/35/schedule/2/paragraph/3 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/merchant-shipping-watercraft-order-2023/schedule-2/paragraph-3
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.

