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A six-week public consultation on revoking and replacing the UK Marine Equipment Regulations aims to聽provide聽and improve clarity for shipowners, operators and equipment manufacturers聽following UK鈥檚 exit from the EU.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency鈥檚 proposals revoke the 2016 Regulations and the amendments made in聽2019聽and replace them with a single new regulation.聽聽

The聽聽UK Mark of Conformity for marine equipment - the 鈥楻ed聽Ensign鈥� - became mandatory on 1 January 2023 and applies to all marine equipment placed on board all UK vessels聽that聽was previously subject to the European Union鈥檚 Mark of Conformity for marine equipment (the 鈥榃heel Mark鈥�).聽

The聽proposed聽Merchant聽Shipping (Marine Equipment) Regulations 2025聽will include the ability to grant exemptions (in areas of technical innovation), through the 鈥楻ed Ensign鈥�.聽聽

Equipment manufactured before January 2023 remains out of scope of the proposed聽Regulations. These聽Regulations聽will also provide vessels with the opportunity to apply for a 鈥楲etter of acceptance鈥� to install non-UK approved equipment. 聽聽

The聽amendments will also include requirements and standards for Ballast Water Management Systems to be installed on UK ships.聽

MCA Director of UK Technical Maritime Services Fraser Heasley said:

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency regularly reviews legislation to ensure the UK鈥檚 commitment to safety at sea. Marine equipment, its standards and its conformities are crucial to that work.聽

Importantly, these proposals to update the Merchant Shipping (Marine聽Equipment) Regulations, seek to combine the 2016 Regulations and amendments made in 2019 in the wake of the UK鈥檚 exit from the EU.

Further information

The six-week public consultation runs from Monday 14 April to Monday 26 May.聽

Click here to take part in the consultation.