The Merchant Shipping (High Speed Craft) Regulations 2022

Exemptions

6.—(1) The Secretary of State may grant an exemption from any provision of these Regulations in respect of a craft which does not normally engage on international voyages but is, in exceptional circumstances, required to undertake a single international voyage.

(2) The Secretary of State may grant an exemption from a requirement of regulation 9 in respect of a craft where the High-Speed Craft Code, 1994 or the High-Speed Craft Code, 2000 permits an exemption to be granted by the Administration of the State whose flag the craft is entitled to fly, provided the Secretary of State is satisfied that any conditions applicable to such exemption are met.

(3) The Secretary of State may, in exceptional circumstances not provided for in paragraph (1) or (2), grant an exemption from any provision of these Regulations in respect of a craft or class of craft if satisfied that compliance with such provision is either impracticable or unreasonable in the case of that craft or class of craft.

(4) An exemption under paragraph (1), (2) or (3) may be granted subject to such safety requirements as the Secretary of State thinks fit to ensure the overall safety of the craft.

(5) An exemption granted under paragraph (1), (2) or (3) may, on the giving of reasonable notice, be altered or cancelled.

(6) An exemption granted under paragraph (1), (2) or (3), or an alteration or cancellation under paragraph (5), must—

(a) be in writing;

(b) specify the date on which it takes effect; and

(c) specify the terms, if any, on which it is given.

(7) The requirement that an exemption granted under paragraph (1), (2) or (3), or an alteration or cancellation under paragraph (5), be in writing is satisfied where the text of the exemption, alteration or cancellation is—

(a) transmitted by electronic means;

(b) received in legible form; and

(c) capable of being used for subsequent reference.

(8) Where an exemption is granted subject to safety requirements under paragraph (4), the exemption ceases to have effect if those requirements are not complied with.