The Secretary of State makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 85(1)(a) and (b), (3) and (5) to (7) and 86(1) and (2) of the Merchant Shipping Act 19951 and section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 19722 as read with paragraph 1A of Schedule 2 to that Act3.

The Secretary of State has consulted the persons referred to in section 86(4) of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995.

The Secretary of State is a Minister designated4 for the purposes of section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972 in relation to measures relating to the safety of ships, and the health and safety of persons on them.

These Regulations make provision for a purpose mentioned in section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972 and it appears to the Secretary of State that it is expedient for references to Annexes to Directive 2006/87/EC of 12th December 2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down technical requirements for inland waterway vessels and repealing Council Directive 82/714/EEC5 to be construed as references to those Annexes as amended from time to time.