The Merchant Shipping (Nuclear Ships) Regulations 2022

Surveys of United Kingdom nuclear ships

20.—(1) A United Kingdom nuclear ship must comply with the following requirements in Chapter 8 of the Nuclear Code (surveys)—

(a) paragraph 8.1.6 (survey period and methods etc.);

(b) paragraph 8.1.7 (specification of surveys etc.);

(c) paragraph 8.1.8 (safety and decontamination measures during surveys).

(2) A United Kingdom nuclear ship that is in its construction phase, must be subjected to the survey described in paragraph 8.2 in Chapter 8 of the Nuclear Code (survey during construction).

(3) A United Kingdom ship that is in its trial phase, must be subjected to the survey described in paragraph 8.3 in Chapter 8 of the Nuclear Code (survey during trials).

(4) Before commencing the operations phase, a United Kingdom nuclear ship must be subjected to an initial survey.

(5) The initial survey must—

(a) include an inspection to check compliance with these Regulations;

(b) address any special requirements contained in the safety assessment required by regulation 7 (safety assessment) and in the operating manual required by regulation 14 (operating manual); and

(c) assess the nuclear ship against the requirements of the following provisions in Chapter I that apply to the particular ship being surveyed—

(i) regulation 7 (surveys of passenger ships);

(ii) regulation 8 (surveys of life-saving appliances and other equipment of cargo ships);

(iii) regulation 9 (surveys of radio installations of cargo ships);

(iv) regulation 10 (surveys of structure, machinery and equipment of cargo ships).

(6) A United Kingdom nuclear ship must be subjected to a renewal survey before the end of every period of 12 months following the issue of the ship’s Nuclear Ship Safety Certificate, or the renewal of it, and the renewal survey must include the matters referred to in the specification of the initial survey in paragraph (5).

(7) Notwithstanding the requirement for a renewal survey in paragraph (6), and subject to paragraph (8), a United Kingdom nuclear ship must be subjected to the additional surveys, and at the frequencies specified, in paragraph 8.4 in Chapter 8 of the Nuclear Code (survey during operational phase).

(8) A United Kingdom nuclear ship may be subjected to continuous surveys in accordance with paragraph 8.4.3.5 in Chapter 8 of the Nuclear Code—

(a) at the request of the Secretary of State; or

(b) with the approval of the Secretary of State,

in place of the periodical surveys required by paragraphs 8.4.3.1 to 8.4.3.4 in Chapter 8 of the Nuclear Code (surveys of the nuclear steam supply system and supporting hull structure).

(9) Notwithstanding the requirements of paragraphs (6) to (8), a United Kingdom nuclear ship must be subjected to the special surveys described in paragraph 8.5 in Chapter 8 of the Nuclear Code (special surveys, repairs, renewals and modifications).

(10) The requirement for a survey under paragraphs (2) to (4) and (6) to (9) is subject to the presence of potentially harmful levels of radiation on the ship.

(11) The results of all surveys and tests must be—

(a) recorded in a legible form and be capable of being used for subsequent reference;

(b) contain the information specified in paragraph 8.1.9 in Chapter 8 of the Nuclear Code (results of surveys and tests);

(c) kept in copy on board the nuclear ship;

(d) sent, in the form of a copy, to the Secretary of State on request;

(e) readily available for examination at all times.

(12) The Secretary of State may determine how and where the information referred to in paragraph (11) is to be kept for the lifetime of the nuclear ship or its reactor installation, as applicable.

(13) For the purposes of this regulation, “construction phase”, “operations phase” and “trial phase” have the meanings given to them in paragraph 8.1.2 in Chapter 8 of the Nuclear Code (phases of ship’s life cycle).