944.Paragraph 26 in Part 5 repeals the Merchant Shipping Act 1988. The 1988 Act forms part of the law of England and Wales, Scotland and (for certain purposes) Northern Ireland, as will the repeal of the 1988 Act.
945.The only operative provision of the 1988 Act still in force is section 37 (licensing of tidal works by harbour authorities), with other provisions remaining in place only to support that section. The effect of section 37 is to make provision for regulations to disapply the requirements of section 34 of the Coast Protection Act 1949 (c. 74) in particular circumstances. Section 34 was repealed (in England and Wales by the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (c. 23) and in Scotland by the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 (asp 5)). Consequently neither section 37, nor the provisions which support it, have any practical effect.
946.The repeal comes into force at the end of the period of 2 months beginning with the day on which the Act is passed.