Citation and commencement

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Offshore Installations (Safety Zones) Order 2025.

(2) This Order comes into force 21 days after the day on which it is made (“the general coming into force date”), except for article 2(2) which comes into force as provided in article 2(3).

Establishment of safety zones

2.—(1) A safety zone is established around each installation specified in column 1 of the table inPart 1ofthe Schedule(being an installation stationed in waters to which subsection (7) of section 21 of the Petroleum Act 1987 applies) having a radius of 500 metres, as respects that installation, from the point which has the co-ordinates of latitude and longitude according to the World Geodetic System 1984 ( 3) specified in columns 2 and 3 of the table inPart 1ofthe Schedule.

(2) A safety zone is established around each installation specified in column 1 of the table inPart 2ofthe Schedule(being an installation to be stationed in waters to which subsection (7) of section 21 of the Petroleum Act 1987 applies) having a radius of 500 metres, as respects that installation, from the point which has the co-ordinates of latitude and longitude according to the World Geodetic System 1984 specified in columns 2 and 3 of the table inPart 2ofthe Schedule.

(3) Paragraph(2)comes into force, as respects each installation—

(a) on the general coming into force date, where the installation arrives at its station before that date; and

(b) when the installation arrives at its station, in any other case.

Article 2

Schedule Installations

Part 1 Installations stationed at the time this Order is made

Part 2 Installations not stationed at the time this Order is made

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

Article 2 of this Order establishes, under section 22 of the Petroleum Act 1987 (c. 12)(“ the Act”), safety zones having a radius of 500 metres from the specified point around the 5 installations (which are subsea installations) specified in the Schedule to this Order stationed, or to be stationed, in waters to which section 21(7) of that Act applies (these include territorial waters and waters in areas designated under section 1(7) of the Continental Shelf Act 1964 (c. 29)).

Section 23(1) of the Act prohibits vessels, which for these purposes include hovercraft, submersible apparatus (as defined in section 88(4) of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 (c. 21)) and installations in transit, from entering or remaining in a safety zone except with the consent of the Health and Safety Executive or in accordance with regulations made under section 23(1) of the Act (currently regulation 21H of the Offshore Installations and Pipeline Works (Management and Administration) Regulations 1995 ( S.I. 1995/738), inserted by paragraph 14 of Schedule 13 to S.I. 2015/398).

The United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO) publishes nautical charts covering the area in which installations are located, which include information on the existence and, where the scale allows, the location of safety zones (UKHO, Admiralty Way, Taunton, Somerset TA1 2DN,https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-hydrographic-office). Mariners are advised to keep paper charts up-to-date by using appropriate Notices to Mariners or, where electronic charts are used, to subscribe to an appropriate updating service. Vessels meeting the requirements of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea 1974 will carry nautical charts and nautical publications (such as Notices to Mariners) to plan and display the ship’s route for the intended voyage and to plot and monitor positions throughout the voyage. This may be compulsory for some vessels, for example under the Merchant Shipping (Safety of Navigation) Regulations 2020 ( S.I. 2020/673). The UKHO also broadcasts Radio Navigational Warnings in relation to safety zones where updates to charts have yet to take effect and where installations are in transit.

Maritime safety information, which includes information on safety zones, is issued via the appropriate International Maritime Organisation, Global Maritime Distress and Safety System broadcast systems as defined by the World-Wide Navigational Warning Service.

It is estimated that the installations specified in the table in Part 2 of the Schedule, Belinda Wellhead and Gryphon Alpha, which are not on station at the time of making the Order, will arrive at their stations in March or April 2025.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.