The Merchant Shipping (Bridge Visibility) (Small Passenger Ships) Regulations 2005
These Regulations apply to passenger ships under 45 metres in length which are engaged in voyages as described in regulation 3(1). The Regulations implement the recommendations of the Marine Accident Investigation Branch on bridge visibility on passenger ships set out in their Report into the loss of “the Marchioness”. The provision contained in these Regulations was previously contained in the Merchant Shipping (Passenger Ships of Classes IV, V, VI and VI(A) (Bridge Visibility) Regulations 1992 (S.I. 1992/2357), which were repealed by the Merchant Shipping (Safety of Navigation) Regulations 2002 (S.I. 2002/1473) (“the 2002 Regulations”). The 2002 Regulations make provision for bridge visibility for ships of 45 metres in length and above in accordance with the requirements of the SOLAS Convention, but do not make provision for ships below that length.