The Merchant Shipping (Ro-Ro Passenger Ship Survivability) Regulations 1997

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations implement an International Agreement concluded in Stockholm on 27—28 February 1996 and entitled “Agreement Concerning Specific Stability Requirements for Ro-Ro Passenger Ships Undertaking Regular Scheduled International Voyages Between or to or from Designated Ports in North West Europe and the Baltic Sea”.

The Regulations revoke the Merchant Shipping (Ro-Ro Passenger Ship Survivability) (No. 2) Regulations 1994 which implemented an earlier International Agreement dated 27th July 1993. The 1993 Agreement has been superseded by the Agreement implemented by these Regulations.

The Regulations apply the requirements of the Agreement to all United Kingdom ro-ro passenger ships operating on regular scheduled voyages as ships of Classes I, II and II(A) and to all such non-United Kingdom ships when they are in United Kingdom waters while proceeding to or from a port in the United Kingdom (regulation 4). The Agreement is applied progressively to such ships between 1st April 1997 and 1st October 2002 in accordance with a timescale based on the A/Amax value for the ship (regulation 6).

The Regulations require the calculation of an A/Amax value for each ship to be submitted to, and approved by, the Secretary of State, or to be approved by the Contracting Government to the Agreement whose flag the ship is entitled to fly (regulation 5).

These Regulations amend the Merchant Shipping (Passenger Ship Construction) Regulations 1980 and the Merchant Shipping (Passenger Ship Construction and Survey) Regulations 1984 to the extent that they apply to ro-ro passenger ships of Classes I, II and II(A).

A compliance cost assessment has been prepared and copies can be obtained from the Marine Safety Agency, Department of Transport, Spring Place, 105 Commercial Road, Southampton SO15 1EG. A copy has been placed in the library of each House of Parliament.

The annex to the Calculation Procedure referred to in regulation 5(1) may be obtained from the International Maritime Organisation, 4 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7SR. Merchant Shipping Notices may be obtained from Eros Marketing Support Services, Unit B, Imber Court Trading Estate, Orchard Lane, East Molesley, Surrey KT8 0BN.

These Regulations have been notified to the European Commission pursuant to Directive 83/189/EEC of 28 March 1983 laying down a procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical standards and regulations (OJ 1983 L 109, p. 8) as amended by Council Directive 88/182/EEC of 22 March 1988 (OJ 1988 L 81, p. 75) and European Parliament and Council Directive 94/10/EEC of 23 March 1994 (OJ 1994 L 100 p. 30).