Navigation offences
Updated 28 June 2024
Applies to England
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/offence-response-options-environment-agency/navigation-offences
1. Environment Agency (Inland Waterways) Order 2010
Article 18(1)(a):
Contravenes or attempts to contravene or knowingly allows a contravention of the vessel registration requirements of Article 4(1).
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Article 18(1)(b):
Contravenes or attempts to contravene or knowingly allows a contravention of the terms of an exemption granted under:
- Article 4(3) – requirement for registration
- Article 11(3) – insurance
- Article 12(6) – construction and equipment standards
- Article 15(6) – additional requirements for commercial vessels
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Article 18(1)(c):
Contravenes or attempts to contravene or knowingly allows a contravention of the insurance requirements of Article 11(1).
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Article 18(1)(d):
Contravenes or attempts to contravene or knowingly allows a contravention of the construction and equipment standards of Article 12(4).
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Article 18(1)(e):
Contravenes or attempts to contravene or knowingly allows a contravention of the vessel inspection requirements of Article 14(1).
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Article 18(1)(f):
Contravenes or attempts to contravene or knowingly allows a contravention of the additional requirements for commercial vessels of Article 15(4).
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Article 18(2):
Failure to give or produce information demanded under Article 17.
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Article 18(2):
Fails, without reasonable cause, to give or provide information demanded under Article 17 or knowingly or recklessly makes a statement which is false in a material particular.
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Article 21(1):
Criminal liability of directors, managers and secretaries in relation to offences that their company (body corporate) is guilty of and which are proved to have been committed with the consent, connivance or attributable to their neglect.
Article 21(2):
Liability of members of a body corporate where they manage the company affairs.
2. Harbour of Rye Revision Order 1976
Article 14:
Moors, places or keeps houseboat without written consent.
The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
3. Pilotage Act 1987
Section 15:
Master of ship fails to allow pilot to take charge of ship in area of compulsory pilotage, or master of ship navigates in an area or in circumstances without notifying competent harbour authority of intention to do so.
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Section 21:
Ship’s pilot endangers ship or persons on board through misconduct.
The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
4. Southern Water Authority Act 1982
Section 14:
Close or open or attempts to close or open lock or sluice gates, or interferes with or attempts to interfere with control structure or operation.
The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Section 45:
Master or other person in charge of vessel or houseboat fails to state name and address.
The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
5. Southern Water Authority Act 1988
Section 19:
Without lawful authority closes or opens valve, screen, controlling culvert or other means of controlling the river.
The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
6. Thames Conservancy Act 1932
Section 59(2):
Dredges and raises gravel sand ballast or other substance from the Thames without or not in accordance with licence.
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Section 64(2):
Cuts banks of the Thames interfering with navigation or use of towpath without or not in accordance with licence.
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Section 65(2):
Erects works in or upon the bed or shores of the Thames or afloat on the Thames below Teddington without a licence.
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Section 66(1):
Puts down or places mooring chain in the Thames without a licence.
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Section 79(3):
Obstructs navigation with weir bridge piles dam chain barrier or other impediment and fails to comply with removal notice.
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Section 84:
Fails to comply with directions of Harbour Master.
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Section 89(2):
Refuses or fails to remove lights interfering with navigation.
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Section 92(2):
Navigating launch without carrying and exhibiting prescribed navigation lights.
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Section 96:
Person in charge fails to give name and address of offender on board pleasure boat.
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Section 97:
Person in charge contravenes or fails to observe rules of navigation on the Thames listed in this section.
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Section 99(2):
Master of vessel disobeys a police officer.
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Section 99(3):
Obstructs entry of police officer aboard vessel.
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Section 102:
Wilfully acts to: open paddles or sluices, flush or draw down lock or lock cut water, or injure any towpath or specified property on land belonging to the Conservators (Environment Agency).
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Section 105(2):
Owner or occupier fails to comply with court order requiring tree, bush or shrub to be cut.
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Section 106(2):
Owner or occupier fails to comply with notice to repair wharf pier or bank.
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Section 108:
Fails to comply with notice requiring removal of towpath obstruction.
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Section 121:
Wilfully throws certain substances into the river or any tributary, including ballast, stones, earth and rubbish; or causes oil or tar to flow into the river or any tributary.
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Section 122:
Disobeys court order to remove ballast and so on from location where it may get blown or carried into the river or any tributary or to comply with requirements of relevant notice.
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Section 123:
Wilfully causes or knowingly allows sewage or offensive or injurious matter to pass into the river or any tributary.
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Section 124:
Failure to discontinue pollution after service of notice.
The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Section 129:
Throws or sweeps or causes another person to throw or sweep weeds grass or vegetation into the river or any tributary.
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Section 135:
Master fails to provide name and address of vessel owner or state destination.
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Section 161:
Attempts to benefit from police exemption from registration without entitlement.
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Section 238:
Obstructs assaults or resists an Environment Agency officer, constable or other person executing the Act.
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Section 260:
Master of vessel unlawfully anchors moors fastens or lays vessel in Taplow Mill Stream.
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
7. Thames Conservancy Act 1950
Section 15:
Owner of pleasure boat fails to provide information about person in charge.
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Section 21:
Sanitary authority fails to provide information relating to sewers and drains.
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
8. Thames Conservancy Act 1966
Section 18:
Forcibly passes or attempts to pass through lock without paying full amount of registration or toll.
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Section 21:
Attempts to benefit from police exemption from registration without entitlement.
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
9. Upper Medway Navigation and Conservancy Act 1911
Section 142:
Master of vessel throws or causes to be thrown ballast from vessel into the river.
The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
10. The Wye Navigation Order 2002
Article 8(1)(a):
Navigation or use without due care and attention.
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Article 8(1)(b):
Navigation or use in a manner liable to injure or endanger persons, other vessels, bed or banks and structures beside the principal rivers.
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Article 8(1)(c):
Navigation or use in a manner that does not show reasonable consideration for persons or property in, upon or about the principal rivers and their banks.
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Article 9:
Vessel adrift due to neglect.
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Article 15(7):
Failure to comply with Article 14 notice.
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Article 18(6):
Failure to comply with an Article 18(5) notice.
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Article 23(4):
Knowingly contravene Article 23 or condition of works notice.
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Article 35:
Provide a false or misleading statement or recklessly provides a statement which is false or misleading in a material particular.
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
Article 36:
Obstruction.
Summary only. The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution
11. Byelaw offences
The standard criminal and offence specific responses are:
- warning
- formal caution
- prosecution