The Iran (Sanctions) Regulations 2023

Detention of ships

49.—(1) A detention direction may be given to the master of a ship referred to in paragraph (3) by—

(a)the Secretary of State, or

(b)a harbour authority.

(2) A detention direction under paragraph (1)(b) may only be given by a harbour authority to the master of a specified ship if it has received a direction from the Secretary of State in accordance with paragraph (3)(b).

(3) The Secretary of State may direct a harbour authority to give a detention direction to the master of—

(a)a ship owned, controlled, chartered or operated by a designated person, or

(b)a specified ship.

(4) A “detention direction” means a direction requiring the detention of a ship at a port or anchorage in the United Kingdom.

(5) A detention direction given in relation to a ship—

(a)must be in writing,

(b)must be delivered to the master of the ship by the person who detains the ship,

(c)must state the grounds on which the ship is detained, and

(d)must state that—

(i)it is given under this regulation, and

(ii)any requirements imposed by the direction must be complied with.

(6) Paragraph (7) applies if—

(a)the ship is not a British ship, and

(b)there is in the United Kingdom a consular officer for the country to which the ship belongs.

(7) A copy of the detention direction must be sent as soon as practicable to the nearest consular officer for the country to which the ship belongs.

(8) Section 284(1), (2), (2A), (2B), (3) and (8) of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995(1) (enforcing detention of ship) applies in the case of detention under a detention direction as it applies in the case of detention authorised or ordered by that Act, but as if—

(a)any reference in that section to a notice of detention were to the detention direction, and

(b)the reference in subsection (2A) of that section to a direction given under subsection (1A)(a)(2) of that section were to any requirement imposed by the detention direction.

(9) In this regulation, “consular officer”, in relation to a foreign country, means the officer recognised by His Majesty as a consular officer of that foreign country.

(10) In this regulation a “designated person” means a person who is designated under regulation 5 for the purposes of the relevant regulations of this Part.