Maritime fee increase: What you need to know

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has announced that it will increase its fees for the first time in over ten years.
Birds eye view of Chichester MarinaBirds eye view of Chichester Marina
Birds eye view of Chichester Marina

From November 13, the MCA will increase most of its fees across the whole of the UK, which, according to the MCA will give it 'flexibility to invest further in the services it provides to the maritime sector'.

It added that the fee increases have been carefully planned, with a public consultation in 2016, so industry and all those affected have been involved 'every step of the way'. As a result of this consultation with industry, it was agreed to introduce some fees in stages to reduce the impact on both businesses and individuals, the MCA said.

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MCA said that consultation was also given to the impact on small-scale operators and said that the survey fee increase should only affect 11 per cent of fishing vessels (about 600) as only those 15 metres in length or over need to be surveyed.

The MCA gave the changes in detail:

The phased increase in fees will cover fees to survey a vessel and the seafarer medical examination fee.

The hourly vessel survey rate will increase in two stages:

1) from the current £94 per hour to £120 per hour in November 2018;

2) from £120 to £147 per hour in November 2019.

The Seafarer Medical Examination Fee will increase in three stages from £80 to £115. The increases will be from £80 to £95 in November 2018, £95 to £105 in November 2019 and £105 to £115 in November 2020.

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All other fees will increase in a single increment from November 13.

Full information about the MCA's fees increases can be found on our MCA fees page on www.gov.uk. You can also read about the public consultation that was carries out ahead of the rises.