GovWire

This consultation seeks your views on the proposed draft Merchant Shipping (Inspections of Ro-Ro ferry and high-speed passenger craft) Regulations 2021 (The Regulations) to replace existing Merchant Shipping (mandatory surveys for Ro-Ro Ferry and high-speed passenger craft) Regulations 2001 (SI 2001/152).

The proposed new regulations aim to simplify the existing safety inspection regime for ro-ro passenger ships and high-speed craft and ensure that the UKs inspection regime for these ships will meet our international requirements for the future benefit of this sector of the industry.

The main objective of the proposed regulations is to eliminate any overlaps between port state control inspections and the inspection regime applicable to Ro-Ro passenger ships and high-speed passenger craft in regular service. It will reduce the inspection effort of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and will benefit the shipping industry by maximising the time in which the affected vessels can be commercially exploited, whilst continuing to ensure high safety standards.

We ask you to complete the response and feedback forms and send them back to the email address detailed in the forms