Offences made under the Merchant Shipping Act 1995
152 statutory instruments made under this Act create 592 criminal offences between them.
These are offences created by secondary legislation made under the Act — not the offences in the Act itself. An Act that creates a power to make regulations, and regulations that then create offences, is the ordinary route by which most of the criminal law is made, and it is the route this report follows.
Instruments made under it
- The Merchant Shipping (Maritime Labour Convention) (Minimum Requirements for Seafarers etc.) Regulations 2014 2014 · 36 offences
- The Merchant Shipping (Dangerous Goods and Marine Pollutants) Regulations 1997 (revoked) 1997 · 22 offences
- The Merchant Shipping (Safety of Navigation) Regulations 2002 (revoked) 2002 · 19 offences
- The Merchant Shipping (Carriage of Cargoes) Regulations 1999 1999 · 16 offences
- The Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Pollution by Garbage from Ships) Regulations 2020 2020 · 15 offences
- The Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Pollution by Sewage and Garbage from Ships) Regulations 2008 2008 · 13 offences
- The Merchant Shipping (Carriage of Cargoes) Regulations 1997 1997 · 13 offences
- The Merchant Shipping (Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments) Regulations 2022 2022 · 11 offences
- The Merchant Shipping (Work in Fishing Convention) Regulations 2018 2018 · 11 offences
- The Merchant Shipping (Maritime Labour Convention) (Compulsory Financial Security) (Amendment) Regulations 2018 2018 · 10 offences
- The Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships) Regulations 2008 2008 · 10 offences
- The Merchant Shipping (Safety of Navigation) Regulations 2020 2020 · 8 offences
- The Merchant Shipping (Working Time: Inland Waterways) (Amendment) Regulations 2017 2017 · 8 offences
- The Merchant Shipping (Vessel Traffic Monitoring and Reporting Requirements) Regulations 2004 2004 · 8 offences
- The Merchant Shipping (Load Line) Regulations 1998 1998 · 8 offences
- The Merchant Shipping (Safe Manning, Hours of Work and Watchkeeping) Regulations 1997 1997 · 8 offences
- The Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Pollution by Sewage from Ships) Regulations 2020 2020 · 7 offences
- The Merchant Shipping (International Load Line Convention) (Amendment) Regulations 2018 2018 · 7 offences
- The Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Pollution from Noxious Liquid Substances in Bulk) Regulations 2018 2018 · 7 offences
- The Merchant Shipping (Boatmasters' Qualifications, Crew and Hours of Work) Regulations 2015 2015 · 7 offences
- The Merchant Shipping (Marine Equipment) Regulations 1999 1999 · 7 offences
- The Merchant Shipping and Fishing Vessels (Health and Safety at Work) Regulations 1997 1997 · 7 offences
- The Merchant Shipping (Port State Control) Regulations 2026 2026 · 6 offences
- The Merchant Shipping (Carriage of Cargoes) Regulations 2024 2024 · 6 offences
- The Merchant Shipping (Nuclear Ships) Regulations 2022 2022 · 6 offences
- The Merchant Shipping (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping) Regulations 2022 2022 · 6 offences
- The Merchant Shipping (Radio) (Fishing Vessels) Regulations 1999 1999 · 6 offences
- The Merchant Shipping (Passenger Ship Construction: Ships of Classes I, II and II(A)) Regulations 1998 1998 · 6 offences
- The Merchant Shipping (Special Measures to Enhance Maritime Safety) Regulations 2024 2024 · 5 offences
- The Merchant Shipping (Polar Code) (Safety) Regulations 2021 (revoked) 2021 · 5 offences
- The Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Oil Pollution) Regulations 2019 2019 · 5 offences
- The Merchant Shipping (Survey and Certification) Regulations 2015 2015 · 5 offences
- The Merchant Shipping (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping) Regulations 2015 (revoked) 2015 · 5 offences
- The Merchant Shipping (Maritime Labour Convention) (Survey and Certification) Regulations 2013 2013 · 5 offences
- The Merchant Shipping and Fishing Vessels (Health and Safety at Work) (Biological Agents) Regulations 2010 2010 · 5 offences
- The Merchant Shipping and Fishing Vessels (Control of Noise at Work) Regulations 2007 2007 · 5 offences
- The Merchant Shipping (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2002 2002 · 5 offences
- The Merchant Shipping (Passenger Ship Construction: Ships of Classes III to VI (A)) Regulations 1998 1998 · 5 offences
- The Merchant Shipping (International Safety Management (ISM) Code) Regulations 2026 2026 · 4 offences
- The Merchant Shipping (Accident Reporting and Investigation) Regulations 2026 2026 · 4 offences
- The Merchant Shipping (Polar Code) (Safety) Regulations 2025 2025 · 4 offences
- The Merchant Shipping (Small Workboats and Pilot Boats) Regulations 2023 2023 · 4 offences
- The Merchant Shipping and Fishing Vessels (Entry into Enclosed Spaces) Regulations 2022 2022 · 4 offences
- The Merchant Shipping (Work in Fishing Convention) (Survey and Certification) Regulations 2018. 2018 · 4 offences
- The Merchant Shipping (Work in Fishing Convention) (Medical Certification) Regulations 2018 2018 · 4 offences
- The Merchant Shipping and Fishing Vessels (Health and Safety at Work) (Asbestos) Regulations 2010 2010 · 4 offences
- The Merchant Shipping and Fishing Vessels (Health and Safety at Work) (Artificial Optical Radiation) Regulations 2010 2010 · 4 offences
- The Merchant Shipping and Fishing Vessels (Health and Safety at Work) (Chemical Agents) Regulations 2010 2010 · 4 offences
- The Merchant Shipping (Maritime Labour Convention) (Medical Certification) Regulations 2010 2010 · 4 offences
- The Merchant Shipping and Fishing Vessels (Control of Vibration at Work) Regulations 2007 2007 · 4 offences