Resources: M Notice collections linked in the bullet points below.
M Notices publicise to the shipping industry important safety, pollution prevention and other relevant information. There are three types:
Merchant Shipping Notices (MSNs) contain the technical detail of regulations (Statutory Instruments). These must be complied with under UK law. These remain in force until repealed.
Marine Guidance Notes (MGNs) give guidance and recommendations about best practice and interpretation of law, as well as general safety advice. These remain in force until replaced.
Marine Information Notes (MINs) provide less important, time limited information. MINs always have an expiry date.
MINs, MGNs and MSNs are issued with a suffix (M, F, or M+F). This tells you who the M Notice applies to: Merchant vessels, Fishing vessels, or both.
For avoidance of confusion, be aware that Notices to Mariners, while similar in name, are a different thing entirely and will be dealt with in another article.
Staying up to date with M notices is relatively easy. Each of the links above leads to a page featuring a ‘get emails about this page’ button. Sign up for a weekly email, then when this arrives give it a quick scan for notices that are relevant to you.
Your shore management team should keep abreast of new M notices and incorporate their guidance into the ships SMS. Your ships SMS should feature a change log, where you can see recent changes. If you are aware of a recent legislative change, or a new MGN, and you are not sure whether your SMS complies you’d be wise to bring it to the attention of shoreside management.
It’s worth knowing the numbers of a few key M notices. The MGNs covering the ACS, EAS, HSSC, hours of rest and basic STCW training are worth knowing to start, as is the notice that gives your exam syllabus. I’m not giving them here, as looking them up is good practice and will help you learn them.
Be familiar with any M notices that came out in the weeks leading up to your exam; don’t worry about those that aren’t pertinent to you (MINs about engineering exam timetables, for example). Knowing that a new regulation is coming in r.e. mooring lines for example, and what the contents of the relevant MGN and MSN are will stand you in good stead.
MCAQs
What kind of notice would you expect a set of exam timetables to be?
How about a temporary closure of a harbour?
How about the permanent change to the speed limit within an estuary, to protect wildlife?
When does an MSN cease to apply? How about an MGN?
Do fishing vessels need to comply with an MSN if it has (M) in the title?
Is a MSN the law?
Is a MGN the law?
What happens if you don’t comply with a MSN?
What happens if you don’t comply with a MGN?