Announces publication of the draft Merchant Shipping (Fire Protection) Regulations 2023 and accompanying draft explanatory memorandum.
The draft regulations revoke and replace the Merchant Shipping (Fire Protection: Large Ships) Regulations 1998 (SI 1998/1012) (‘the 1998 regulations’), the Merchant Shipping (Fire Protection) Regulations 2003 (SI 2003/2950) (‘the 2003 regulations’) and makes other consequential amendments to implement the most up to date requirements of chapter II-2 in the annex to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 (‘the convention’), relating to safety measures for fire protection on ships.
The draft regulations are being published for 28 days. Following the conclusion of this period, and once any observations on the draft regulations have been taken into account, they will be laid for approval by each House of Parliament. This procedure is required under paragraph 14 of schedule 8 to the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 because these regulations revoke an instrument, the 1998 regulations, that was made under section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972.
The draft regulations will ensure that UK law includes increased safety standards for fire protection on both UK flagged ships and non-UK flagged ships within the scope of the convention operating in UK waters.
Further information: