The Regulations provide for the registration of merchant ships, fishing vessels and small ships in accordance with the Merchant Shipping (Registration, etc.) Act 1993.

The Regulations determine who are qualified to register such ships in the United Kingdom (and thus meet the United Kingdom’s EC obligations under the two cases R v. Secretary of State for Transport, ex parte Factortame (Case C.221/89) and Commission v. United Kingdom (Case c.246/89)).They also provide for the necessary British connection in certain cases where the owner is not resident in the United Kingdom.

The Regulations provide for methods of application and renewal for registration, and for registration of transfers and mortgages.They lay down requirements as to naming, measurement and marking.They provide for refusal or termination of registration in certain cases; and for provisional registration.

The Regulations also provide for the registration in a separate part of the register of ships bareboat chartered-in to persons qualified to own British ships, in accordance with section 7 of the Act of 1993.

There are transitional provisions providing for the continued validity of existing certificates for up to five years.

A compliance cost assessment has been prepared and copies can be obtained from the Department of Transport, Room P2/075, 2 Marsham Street, London SW1P 3EB.A copy has been placed in the library of each House of Parliament.