This Act may be cited as the Merchant Shipping Act 1979 and this Act and the Merchant Shipping Acts 1894 to 1977 may be cited together as the Merchant Shipping Acts 1894 to 1979.

This Act shall come into force on such day as the Secretary of State may appoint by order, and different days may be appointed in pursuance of this subsection for different provisions of this Act or for different purposes of the same provision.