Regulation 26
1.—(1) The Merchant Shipping (Official Log Books) Regulations 1981(1) are amended as follows.
(2) In regulation 1(2) (interpretation), before the definition of “the Repatriation Regulations”, insert—
““remote operation centre” means any location other than a remotely operated unmanned vessel from which a remotely operated unmanned vessel is operated;
“remotely operated unmanned vessel” means a vessel that—
is operated from a remote operation centre, and
is not carrying any person at the time that it is operated;”.
(3) For regulation 2 (exemption from requirement for a UK ship to keep a log book) substitute—
2.—(1) The requirement imposed under section 77(1) of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 that an official log book must be kept in every United Kingdom ship does not apply—
(a)to a ship belonging to a general lighthouse authority;
(b)to a ship of less than 25 gross tons;
(c)to a pleasure yacht;
(d)subject to paragraph (2), to a remotely operated unmanned vessel.
(2) The log book for a remotely operated unmanned vessel must be kept at the remote operation centre for that vessel.”
2.—(1) The Merchant Shipping (Radio Installations) Regulations 1998(2) are amended as follows.
(2) In regulation 2 (interpretation), after the definition of “Radio Regulations” insert—
““remote operation centre” means any location from which a remotely operated vessel is operated except that vessel;
“remotely operated unmanned vessel” means a vessel that—
is operated from a remote operation centre, and
is not carrying any person at the time that it is operated;”
(3) In regulation 3(2) (vessels to which the Regulations do not apply), after sub-paragraph (h) insert—
“(ha)remotely operated unmanned vessels;”.
3.—(1) The Merchant Shipping (Fees) Regulations 2018(3) are amended as follows.
(2) In Schedule 1 (fees under the Merchant Shipping Act 1995), in the table in paragraph 5 (fees for inspections, etc) of Part 1 (surveys, inspections and applications for exemption), in section I (construction and equipment)—
(a)omit the entry for the Merchant Shipping (Small Workboats and Pilot Boats) Regulations 1998;
(b)at the end—
(i)in the first column, insert “The Merchant Shipping (Small Workboats and Pilot Boats) Regulations 2023”;
(ii)in the second column, insert “2023/1216”;
(iii)in the third column, insert “None”.
4.—(1) The Merchant Shipping (Radiocommunications) (Amendment) Regulations 2021(4) are amended as follows.
(2) In regulation 3 (interpretation), after the definition of “Radio Regulations” insert—
““remote operation centre” means any location from which a remotely operated vessel is operated except that vessel;
“remotely operated unmanned vessel” means a vessel that—
is operated from a remote operation centre, and
is not carrying any person at the time that it is operated;”.
(3) In regulation 4(2) (vessels to which the Regulations do not apply), after sub-paragraph (g) insert—
“(ga)remotely operated unmanned vessels;”.
5.—(1) The Merchant Shipping (High Speed Craft) Regulations 2022(5) are amended as follows.
(2) In regulation 4(2)(i) (disapplication of the Regulations in relation to workboats and pilot boats) for “a Code of Practice referred to in regulation 5 of the Merchant Shipping (Small Workboats and Pilot Boats) Regulations 1998” substitute “the Workboat Code Edition 3 referred to in regulation 3(1) of the Merchant Shipping (Small Workboats and Pilot Boats) Regulations 2023”.
S.I. 1981/569, amended by S.I.1991/2145; there are other amending instruments but none is relevant.
S.I. 1998/2070, amended by S.I. 2021/1316; there are other amending instruments but none is relevant.
S.I. 2018/1104, to which there are amendments not relevant to these Regulations.
S.I. 2021/1316, to which there are amendments not relevant to these Regulations.