A number of regulations concerning small ships and mechanically driven boats have just been revised, and a number of new regulations introduced by the Malta Maritime Authority (MMA) in a bid to curb abuse at sea especially during the busy summer months.
The revised and new regulations (Legal Notice 183 of 2008) came into effect on Friday 1st August with their publishing in the Government Gazette and actually come as a support to the Authority’s current annual Safety at Sea Campaign.
These regulations impose hefty fines ranging from €100 for such offences as failing to notify the MMA’s small ships registry of any documentation changes such as details of certificate of registration or failing to notify the Authority of a transfer of ownership, to fines that can, in certain cases, vary from €4660 to €11,640 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding twelve months for failing to be covered with adequate insurance policy. Other fines include offences such a tampering with official documentation such as certificate of registry, licences, registration marks or permits.
Other offences carrying fines include driving with excessive speed in any harbour or closer than 300m from a sandy beach or closer than 200m from a rocky beach (? 600), polluting the sea with excessive exhaust emission or fuel spills (? 200), water skiing in prohibited areas (? 1,000) and driving under the influence of alcohol (? 1,000) “We always believed that prevention is better than cure and we trust that the majority of those boat owners are responsible people who are aware of the importance of adhering to our regulations. Boat operators need to act responsibly. Speedboats and personal watercraft (jet skies) generate particular public concern. It is paramount that users of such craft pay respect to other water users, to those on the shore, to the environment and keep a proper lookout all round, at all times. These regulations are not set out to punish but merely to act as a deterrent to that minority who still persists in acting irresponsibly when at sea,” commented a spokesperson for the Malta Maritime Authority.
“In publishing these revised regulations and their respective due fines, we are allowing the application of the law in a more transparent and uniform manner. but more importantly, we hope that these will help everyone abide more to the regulations that have been in place for all these past years.”
These revised regulations also give new powers to the enforcement officers who would be patrolling our beaches and the sea. These enforcement officers, be it the Police, officials from the Malta Maritime Authority responsible for enforcement as well as members from AFM on patrolling duties, have now been given the right to order the offender to remove the boat from water or in cases of serious breach of regulations seize the offending vessel until the offender regularizes his or her position according to the law.
“Everyone has the right to be protected at sea and both swimmers and boat owners need to learn how to co-exist in a safe environment. Enforcing these regulations is just another step in the right direction towards making our seas, a safer place for all,” concluded MMA’s spokesperson.
The following is a detailed schedule of offences and their respective due fines:-
Where a small ship is moored, berthed, being launched or driven:
If the small ship is not registered ……………………………….€400
If the registration of a small ship not renewed……………€300
If the small ship does not bear any registration
markings……………………………………………………………………….€300
If the registration markings of a small ship
have been altered, defaced, mutilated or added
to ………………………………………………………………………………….€400
If the registration markings of a small ship are
not in conformity with the specific conditions
laid down in these regulations…………………………………….€200
If the registration markings of a small ship are
not distinctly shown or are obstructed from
clear view, or are not easily decipherable or
legible……………………………………………………………………………€200
Using a small ship not in accordance with any
specific condition laid down in the certificate of
registration …………………………………………………………………….€200
Engine or engines of a small ship not registered ………..€300
Failure to give notice within the stipulated period of
any modification to the small ship or any change in
the details of registration……………………………………………….€100
Change of ownership of a small ship not notified
within the stipulated period…………………………………………….€200
Overloading of the number of passengers that the
small ship is permitted to carry………………………………………€300
Navigating with excessive speed in any harbour; in
any place within 300m of the foreshore of any sandy
beach; or in any place within 200m of any other part
of the foreshore ………………………………………………………………€600
Operating a small ship under the influence of alcohol ….€1,000
Operating a small ship in a negligent, and/or reckless,
and/or dangerous, and/or abusive manner likely to
cause injury or damage ………………………………………………..€600
Navigating at skiing speed and having on tow a skier
without the presence of another person over eighteen
years keeping constant supervision and observation of
the skier………………………………………………………………………….€400
The new regulations can be downloaded in Pdf format by clicking on this link: http://www.mma.gov.mt/pics/lm_20183e.pdf [1]