1. This Order may be cited as the Merchant Shipping (Load Lines)(Exemption) (Amendment) Order 1991 and shall come into force on 1st July1991.

2. The Merchant Shipping (Load Lines) (Exemption) Order 1968(3) shall be amended as follows:

(1) For the existing text of article 1(1)(h) there shall besubstituted-

• "ships carrying not more than 12 passengers on a voyage in the courseof which they are at no time more than 3 miles from land nor more than15 miles from their point of departure, unless the point of departurelies within smooth or partially smooth water limits when the distance of15 miles shall be measured from the seaward boundary of such limits".

(2) In article 2(1) for the existing text giving the definition of"smooth waters" there shall be substituted

• ""smooth waters" means the waters of any of the areas specified in column 2 of theSchedule to the Merchant Shipping (Smooth and Partially Smooth Waters)Regulations 1987(4) and any other waters which are neither partially smoothwaters nor the sea.".

(3) In article 2(1) there shall be added, in the correct alphabeticalorder, the following definition-

• ""partially smooth waters" means, as respects any period specified in the Schedule to theMerchant Shipping (Smooth and Partially Smooth Waters) Regulations 1987(5), the waters of any of the areas specified in column 3 ofthat Schedule in relation to that period".

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order further amends the Merchant Shipping (Load Lines)(Exemption) Order 1968 to clarify the limits to which ships carrying notmore than 12 persons may proceed to sea, with respect to the distancefrom the point of departure, when being exempted, in accordance with theabove Order, from the provisions of the Merchant Shipping (Load Lines)Act 1967.