Consultation on the Merchant Shipping (High Speed Offshore Service Craft (HSOSC)) Regulations 2021 and accompanying code
This consultation seeks your views on a new Statutory Instrument (SI) and code for HSOSC, providing legal underpinning to transport ‘Industrial Personnel’ to and from offshore energy installations.
The Merchant Shipping HSOSC Regulations 2021 and accompanying code of practice apply to HSOSC of less than 500gt, allowing no more than 60 persons to be on board subject to a vessel’s safety certification. This mirrors the International High Speed Craft Code (HSC) for vessels over 500gt.
The primary objective of the proposed regulations is to provide bespoke UK legislation to allow these vessels to carry out their operational needs within the framework of safety regulations required carrying no more than 60 persons. Secondly, these regulations support innovation and growth in the offshore energy sector and define industrial personnel, based on the development of similar standards and discussions on technical standards and regulations for “Offshore Service Vessels” at the IMO.
Responses are welcomed from 10 August 2021 until 21 September 2021. Please see the consultation document for further details.