There are 11 substantive sections in the act: • Sections 1 to 4 deal with
pilotage and pilotage exemption certificates, amending the
Pilotage Act 1987 principally to allow harbours to relinquish their duties and powers in relation to pilotage, and to permit pilotage exemption certificates to be issued to any qualified
bona fide deck officer of a ship. • Sections 5 and 6 provide procedures for harbour authorities to obtain powers to make directions to ships in their waters, or to close the harbour. • Section 7 provides for ports police in
England and
Wales to operate outside the port in relation to port matters or to make an arrest within a port in relation to a crime committed outside the port (dependent on the consent of the chief officer of the relevant
police area). This allowed
Kent Police to grant permission to the
Port of Dover Police. • Sections 8, 9 and 11 relate to the powers of the
general lighthouse authorities; their area of operation, their ability to enter into commercial agreements; and their use of electronic
aids to navigation to mark
wrecks. • Section 10 provides for
statutory instruments relating to manning of ships to refer to documents that may then be updated over time without having to make a new statutory instrument. ==References==