7.—(1) The Maritime and Coastguard Agency may grant an exemption from the need to comply, prior to a vessel starting operations, with one or more of the requirements in regulations 4 to 6 where:
(a)the vessel was previously engaged on a regular service,
(b)the Agency has taken the utmost account of verifications and surveys previously carried out for that vessel for operation on a previous regular service, and
(c)the Agency is satisfied with these previous verifications and surveys, and that they are relevant to the vessel’s new operational conditions.
(2) The Maritime and Coastguard Agency may grant an exemption from one or more of the requirements of regulations 4 to 6 where:
(a)a vessel which complies with the requirements of the Directive is operating a regular service,
(b)the vessel transfers to another regular service to or from a port in a Member State or EEA State where the route characteristics are agreed by the relevant host State or States to be similar, and
(c)the host States all agree that the vessel fulfils all the requirements for safe operation on that service.
(3) Where paragraphs (1) and (2) above do not apply, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency may grant an exemption from one or more of the requirements of regulations 4 to 6 where:
(a)following unforeseen circumstances, a replacement vessel must be introduced rapidly to ensure continuity of service,
(b)a visual inspection and document check raise no concerns that the vessel does not fulfil the necessary requirements for safe operation, and
(c)the Maritime and Coastguard Agency completes the verifications and surveys required in relation to the vessel by regulations 4 to 6 within one month of its starting operations.