Medway Ports Authority Act 1973

31Priority for Her Majesty's vessels

(1)In this section—

• " Her Majesty's vessels " includes vessels for the time being in the service of Her Majesty;

• " the Queen's harbour master " means the person for the time being appointed to be Queen's harbour master of the dockyard port of Chatham under the Dockyard Ports Regulation Act, 1865.

(2)The Queen's harbour master may within the river and the Medway approach area require priority for the movement of any of Her Majesty's vessels.

(3)When one of Her Majesty's vessels is to be afforded priority by virtue of a requirement under the last foregoing subsection, the Queen's harbour master shall inform the harbour master of such requirement as soon as is reasonably practicable and the harbour master shall take such steps as are open to him to ensure that other vessels are kept out of the way of the vessel to which the requirement relates.

(4)(a) When one of Her Majesty's vessels is exhibiting—

(i)in the case of a submarine, on the bridge superstructure;

or

(ii)in the case of any other vessel, at the foremast head; such light by night or such signal by day as may be respectively prescribed for the time being for the purposes of this section by the Queen's harbour master, all other vessels under way within the river and the Medway approach area shall keep out of the way of that vessel and of any tug which may be in attendance upon her.

(b)Where the Queen's harbour master prescribes any light or signal for the purposes of this subsection he shall give written notice thereof to the Authority accordingly and the Authority shall take such steps as they may deem expedient for causing the contents of such notice to be made known to parties affected thereby.

(c)If the master of any vessel acts in contravention of the provisions of paragraph (a) of this subsection, he shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding twenty-five pounds.