This Act shall be construed as one with the Merchant Shipping Acts 1894 to 1988.

In this Act—

• “British connection” and “declaration of British connection” have the meaning given in section 2(9);

• “the Merchant Shipping Acts” means the Merchant Shipping Acts 1894 to 1988 and this Act;

• “the private law provisions for registered ships” has the meaning given in section 6;

• “the register” means the register maintained for the United Kingdom under section 1 and “registered” (except with reference to the law of another country) is to be construed accordingly;

• “the registrar” means the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen in his capacity as registrar or, as respects functions of his being discharged by another authority or person, that authority or person;

• “registration regulations” means regulations under section 3;

• “relevant British possession” means—

  1. a

     the Isle of Man,

  2. b

     the Channel Islands, or

  3. c

     any colony; and

• “the tonnage regulations” means regulations under section 1 of the M1Merchant Shipping Act 1965.

Where, for the purposes of any enactment, the question arises whether a ship is owned by persons qualified to own British ships, the question shall be determined by reference to registration regulations made under section 2(2)(a).

Any reference in any other Act or in any instrument made under any other Act to the registration of a ship (or fishing vessel) under any of the enactments mentioned in section 1(7) shall be construed, unless the context otherwise requires, as, or as including, a reference to registration under this Act; and connected phrases shall be construed accordingly.

Registration regulations may provide that any reference in any other Act or in any instrument made under any other Act to the port of registry of a ship or the port to which a ship belongs shall be construed as a reference to the port identified by the marks required for the purpose by registration regulations.

The Secretary of State may, by order made by statutory instrument subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament, make such amendments of any local Act or instrument so far as it provides for the registration of ships in local registers as appear to him to be appropriate in view of the provision made by section 1.