Notice - Vessels of Less Than 24 Metres in Length in Commercial Use for Sport or Pleasure
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Rev 01: January 2026 SHIPPING NOTICE Maritime Authority of the Cayman Islands Head Office PO Box 2256 Grand Cayman KY1-1107 CAYMAN ISLANDS Tel: +1 345 949 8831 Email: caymanregistry@cishipping.com Website: www.cishipping.com SHIPPING NOTICE 03/2026 (Rev 01)
VESSELS OF LESS THAN 24 METRES IN LENGTH IN COMMERCIAL USE FOR SPORT OR PLEASURE To: OWNERS, MASTERS AND MANAGERS OF YACHTS INTENDING TO CHARTER.
PREAMBLE
Section 459 of the Merchant Shipping Act 2024 permits the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Maritime Authority of the Cayman Islands, with the approval of the Minister, to, by order, make such provisions to give effect to any provisions of an international agreement relating to merchant shipping or seafarers adopted by the United Kingdom and extended to the Islands and not otherwise prescribed in the Act.
In accordance with section 459 of the Merchant Shipping Act 2024, the CEO makes the following order in respect of the Merchant Shipping (Vessels in Commercial Use for Sport or Pleasure) Regulations, 2002 (The Regulations).
BACKGROUND 1.1 The purpose of this Shipping Notice is to confirm the “Code” which commercial vessels of less than 24m in length should comply with to meet the requirements of the Regulations.
REGULATION 5 AND “THE CODE” 2.1 Regulation 5(3) of the Regulations requires that vessels of less than 24m in length comply “with the provisions of the Code”. 2.2 “Code” is defined in regulation 5(2) as – “either “The Safety of Small Commercial Motor Vessels - A Code of Practice” or “The Safety of Small Commercial Sailing Vessels - A Code of Practice”, including any amendments thereto, published (or treated as being published) by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency of the United Kingdom, or such other Code as may be prescribed in substitution therefor.” 2.3 The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has now published ‘The Sport or Pleasure Vessel Code’ (The safety of small vessels in commercial use for sport or pleasure – a code of practice) with an entry into force date of 12 December 2025. 2.4 This Shipping Notice confirms that the Cayman Islands Shipping Registry prescribes the MCA’s Sport or Pleasure Vessel Code as “such other Code as may be prescribed in substitution therefor” for the purposes of satisfying the requirements of regulation 5 as of 1 January 2026.
Shipping Notice 03/2026 Commercial Vessels <24m in length (Continued)
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Rev 01: January 2026 2.5 The new MCA ‘Sport or Pleasure Vessel Code’ has provisions for existing vessels transitioning from the current Blue Code, Yellow Code, Red Code or MGN 280. 2.6 The Merchant Shipping (Vessels in Commercial Use for Sport or Pleasure) Regulations, 2002 (The Regulations) may need to be updated in due course, and the opportunity will be taken to incorporate this new Code there. At which time, this Shipping Notice will be withdrawn. 2.7 This Shipping Notice replaces CIGN 04/2021, which is now revoked.