15.—(1) The Agency may from time to time determine to impose additional requirements in relation to commercial vessels on the waterways for the purposes of safety or amenity or the proper regulation of navigation.
(2) Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (1), the requirements which the Agency may determine to impose in relation to commercial vessels include—
(a)requirements in relation to the number of persons who may be carried;
(b)requirements in relation to the procedures to be followed when letting vessels for hire; and
(c)except in relation to a vessel when let for hire without a master and crew, requirements in relation to the number and availability of the crew and the qualifications and competencies of the master and crew of such vessels.
(3) Different requirements may be determined by the Agency for the purposes of paragraph (1) in relation to different categories of commercial vessel and in relation to different parts of the waterways.
(4) An owner or master of a commercial vessel to which any requirements determined under paragraph (1) apply must not keep, let for hire or use the vessel on the waterways otherwise than in accordance with those requirements.
(5) Paragraph (4) does not apply in relation to a vessel to the extent that the vessel is exempted by the Agency from requirements determined under paragraph (1).
(6) The Agency may exempt any vessel or class of vessel from requirements prescribed under paragraph (1) to such extent and upon such terms and conditions as it may determine if, having regard to all the circumstances, it considers that the application of those requirements is not justified in the interests of safety or amenity, or in the interests of the proper regulation of navigation.
(7) When exercising power under this article, the Agency must have regard to additional requirements in relation to commercial vessels imposed by other persons for the purposes specified in paragraph (1) and to the desirability of achieving common standards in relation to the regulation of vessels by different persons.