The Merchant Shipping (Watercraft) Order 2023

The Merchant Shipping (Watercraft) Order 2023, a new piece of legislation, was recently enacted and came into force on 31st March 2023.

This legislation extends certain provisions of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995, marking a substantial change in the regulatory landscape for Personal Watercraft operations.

The emergence of the Merchant Shipping (Watercraft) Order 2023 follows a comprehensive review that was prompted by the vulnerabilities identified during the Court of Appeal's ruling in the 2005 R v. Goodwin case.

These vulnerabilities raised concerns about the effectiveness and relevance of existing Merchant Shipping regulations, leading to the need for updated legislation to address contemporary challenges in the maritime sector.

We recognise the importance of staying abreast of regulatory changes and their implications for our berth holders and water users.

We are currently in the process of thoroughly reviewing the Merchant Shipping (Watercraft) Order 2023 to gain a comprehensive understanding of its scope and requirements.

This review encompasses an assessment of our internal procedures to ensure compliance with the new legislation and to identify any necessary adjustments.

We are committed to fostering an open and collaborative dialogue with our valued PWC community.

To this end, we are planning to engage with PWC users during the autumn and winter months to discuss the implications, challenges, and opportunities presented by the Merchant Shipping (Watercraft) Order 2023.

We would welcome your participation in these discussions, and we will be reaching out in the coming weeks with details regarding the engagement sessions.

If you are a PWC user and would like to express your interest in participating in an engagement, please don't hesitate to contact us via email at bangor@boatfolk.co.uk.

We believe that your insights and feedback are invaluable in shaping our approach going forward.

We look forward to collaborating with you and working together to navigate the evolving regulatory landscape.