The Public Health (Ships) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

These Regulations revoke and replace the Public Health (Ships) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1971.

Part I contains definitions of terms used in the Regulations and sets out the circumstances in which the Regulations apply to the armed forces.

Part II provides for the enforcement and execution of the regulations by Boards (Regulation 4).

Part III relates to incoming ships. It provides for the inspection of ships, the examination of persons suspected of suffering from, or having been exposed to infection from, an infectious disease or suspected of being verminous; and in these and other similar circumstances authorises measures to be taken for preventing danger to public health (Regulations 8 to 11). Regulation 12 requires the master of a ship to notify circumstances likely to lead to the spread of infection. Provision is also made for messages to be by radio, fax, email or other appropriate means and the signals to be used in given circumstances and for the completion of a Maritime Declaration of Health by the master of a ship arriving from a foreign port, as defined in Regulation 2.

Regulation 14 imposes restrictions on boarding or leaving ships from a foreign port, or from an infected area which is not a foreign port. Regulations 15 to 30 provide for the detention and inspection of infected or suspected ships, the placing under surveillance of persons from infected areas, the removal of infected persons from ships and the application of such of the additional measures set out in the Schedule 3 as are appropriate to specified diseases subject to the International Health Regulations of a kind particularly dangerous to the public health.

Part IV relates to outgoing ships. It provides for the examination, etc, in prescribed circumstances of persons proposing to embark for a destination outside the United Kingdom (Regulation 31) and, after publication by the Department in the Belfast Gazette (Regulation 32) of a notice declaring any place to be infected with diseases, the spread of which might endanger public health, special measures may be taken to prevent the disease spreading

Part V contains miscellaneous provisions concerning periods of surveillance, charges for services, and expenses of the health authorities enforcing the Regulations. It also contains removal from an area of any ship whose master is unwilling to comply with the Regulations (Regulation 38).