Health and safety on ships
Safety on vessels on inland waters
Passenger vessels operating on inland waters - like estuaries, lakes and rivers and canals - must follow safety standards and requirements.
Inland waters or inland waterways are known legally as ‘categorised waters’. These waters are defined and listed in Merchant Shipping Notice (MSN) 1827 (as amended) Categorisation of Waters.
For more information read Amendment 2 Categorisation of Waters.
A passenger ship is a vessel that carries more than 12 passengers.
The rules for passenger ships built since April 2010, and operating in UK categorised waters are in ‘Merchant Shipping Notice 1823 (M) - Safety Code for Passenger Ships Operating Solely in UK Categorised Waters’.
For more information read ‘Safety Code for Passenger Ships’.
The rules for older passenger ships are covered by several different sets of regulations. Contact the local Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) Marine Office for details.
Vessels that carry no more than 12 passengers
Safety standards and best practice guidance for these vessels are set out in the Inland Waters Small Passenger Boat Code.
For more information read ‘Sound practice, safer waters’.