UK amends Seamen's Documents Regulations

The UK's Secretary of State has published the Merchant Shipping (Seamen’s Documents) (Amendment) Regulations 2023.

These Regulations have been published on March 27th, 2023, and will become effective from May 1st, 2023.

These Regulations extend to England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

The Merchant Shipping (Seamen’s Documents) Regulations 1987* are amended as follows:

In regulation 3(2):

omit paragraph (a);
in paragraph (c), after the words “who is a cadet”, insert the words “or who is employed in a fishing vessel”.

*S.I. 1987/408, amended by the British Overseas Territories Act 2002 (c.8), S.I. 1995/1900, 1997/2971, and 1999/3281.

These Regulations amend the Merchant Shipping (Seamen’s Documents) Regulations 1987 (S.I. 1987/408) to allow seamen employed in fishing vessels to apply for a British Seaman’s Card.

Regulation 2(2)(a) removes seamen employed in fishing vessels from those excluded from eligibility to apply for a British Seaman’s Card.

Regulation 2(2)(b) includes seamen employed in fishing vessels to be exempt from exclusion from eligibility to apply for a British Seaman’s Card in circumstances where they may earn no or nominal wages.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant impact, on the private or voluntary sector is foreseen.

An Explanatory Memorandum is published alongside this instrument on www.legislation.gov.uk.