The Merchant Shipping (Light Dues) Regulations 1997

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations revoke and replace the Merchant Shipping (Light Dues) Regulations 1990 as amended.

The Regulations make the following reductions to the amount of light dues which may be levied:

Description	Previous amount	New amount
Annual payment per ship for tugs and registered fishing vessels	£212	£202
Payment for each metre of length in excess of 10 metres for tugs and registered fishing vessels	£22	£21
Two equal payments per ship for tugs and registered fishing vessels	£119	£114
Payment for each metre of length in excess of 10 metres length for tugs and registered fishing vessels	£12.50	£12
Minimum annual payment for a new or newly registered tug or fishing vessel	£62	£60
Minimum annual payment for a tug or registered fishing vessel which is not registered for a continuous period of more than three months.	£62	£60
Annual payment for pleasure vessels	£81	£77
Payment for each period of 30 days in respect of a visit within an area for which any general lighthouse authority has responsibility for a pleasure vessel not ordinarily kept or used in such an area	£27	£26
Amount for each month or part of month for a new or newly registered pleasure vessel	£27	£26
Minimum amount per voyage for ships not subject to periodical payments	£62	£60
Rate per ton for ships subject to payments per voyage	43 pence	41 pence

In addition, the Regulations also make the following amendments:

(a) A ship’s tonnage is to be ascertained by reference to its International Tonnage Certificate (1969) or, if the ship does not have such a certificate, by reference to the ship’s gross tonnage.

(b) The exemption in favour of ships navigating wholly within the limits of a harbour authority has been modified except in relation to the Port of London Authority and the Forth Port Authority.

(c) Additional exemptions have been granted for various classes of ships.