The Merchant Shipping (International Load Line Convention) (Amendment) Regulations 2018

Application

4.—(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (4), these Regulations apply to—

(a) United Kingdom ships engaged on international voyages, and

(b) non-United Kingdom ships while they are within United Kingdom waters and engaged on international voyages.

(2) These Regulations do not apply to—

(a) ships of war, naval auxiliaries or other ships owned or operated by the United Kingdom government and engaged only on governmental non-commercial service;

(b) new ships of less than 24 metres in length;

(c) existing ships of less than 150 gross tons;

(d) pleasure vessels;

(e) fishing vessels; and

(f) ships solely navigating–

(i) the Great Lakes of North America and the River St. Lawrence as far east as a rhumb line drawn from Cap des Rosiers to West Point, Anticosti Island, and, on the north side of Anticosti Island, the meridian of longitude 63 degrees W;

(ii) the Caspian Sea; or

(iii) the Plate, Parana and Uruguay Rivers as far east as a rhumb line drawn between Punta Rasa (Cabo San Antonio), Argentina, and Punta del Este, Uruguay.

(3) Subject to paragraphs (4) and (6), a ship must comply with Annex I.

(4) Existing ships which do not fully comply with Annex 1 to the 1966 Convention must meet the requirements applicable to such ships engaged on international voyages under the law in force immediately before 21st July 1968(1).

(5) Where an existing ship requires a reduction in freeboard, that ship must comply with all the requirements under these Regulations applicable to new ships.

(6) New ships constructed on or after 21st July 1968 but before 1st January 2005 must comply with the requirements in Annex I to the 1966 Convention which were applicable to such ships engaged on international voyages and as they applied immediately before 1st January 2005(2).

(7) Any amendment to the 1966 Convention which relates to the structure of a ship applies only to ships the keels of which are laid, or which are at a similar stage of construction, on or after the date on which the amendment comes into force.

(1)

The relevant legislation in force immediately before 21st July 1968 was The Load Line Rules 1959 (S.I. 1959/2238). The Regulations lapsed on the repeal of the enabling authority, the Merchant Shipping (Safety and Load Line Conventions) Act 1932 (c. 9). A copy of the Regulations as made is available for inspection or in copy from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency of Spring Place, 105 Commercial Road, Southampton SW1A 0PW.

(2)

Annex I to the 1966 Convention as it was in force immediately prior to 1st January 2005, is available in copy from the International Maritime Organization of 4 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7SR. It is also available in the Command Paper for the 1966 Convention (Cmnd. 3708), which is available on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office treaties database (http://treaties.fco.gov.uk/docs/pdf/1968/TS0058.pdf).