SI 2017/879 The Merchant Shipping (Registration of Ships) (Amendment) Regulations 2017 (link)
These Regulations make various amendments to the Merchant Shipping (Registration of Ships) Regulations 1993 (S.I. 1993/3138) (“the Registration Regulations”).
Regulation 7 inserts a new regulation 105A to the Registration Regulations to allow the Registrar to receive or provide copies of certain documents rather than originals. It further specifies that those copies may be received or provided electronically.
Regulations 3, 4 and 6 amend requirements that the Registrar either retain, endorse or return documents so that those requirements only apply to original documents. Regulation 3 also removes the requirement that the Registrar stamp such documents. Regulation 5 amends regulations 46 and 60 of the Registration Regulations to remove references to ‘office’ copies (allowing copies to be provided instead), and Regulation 8 amends regulation 108 of the Registration Regulations relating to the issue of temporary replacements for a certificate of registry whilst outside of the United Kingdom to remove outdated references to a faxed duplicate.
Regulation 9 removes a requirement that a document be ‘lodged with’ the Registrar, and instead allows the document to be ‘provided to’ the Registrar.
Regulation 10 inserts a new regulation 113B into the Registration Regulations. It requires the Secretary of State to review the operation and effect of the Registration Regulations and publish a report before 1st October 2022, and within every five years after that. Following a review it will fall to the Secretary of State to consider whether the Regulations should remain as they are, or be revoked or be amended. A further instrument would be needed to revoke the Regulations or to amend them.
Source: HMSO.