Merchant Shipping Act 1975.

This Act makes provision for the identification, marking, nationality and registration of vessels including fishing vessels, property of ships, pilotage, shipping casualties and various other matters relative to shipping and navigation. There shall be a Registrar of Ships (sect. 7). The Registrar shall cause to be kept at the principal port of registry a register book to be known as the Register of Ships. Sections 14 to 17 set out criteria for registration of ships in the Register of Ships. Section 19 provides for marking of ships. As soon as practicable after the registration of a ship the Registrar shall grant to the owner or owners a certificate of registry in the prescribed form (sect. 23). Section 164 requires the master of the ship to report on casualties and incidents, including accidents involving oil.