Morocco Proposes New Law to Regulate Recreational Boating and Improve Maritime Safety

Developed by the services of the merchant navy (under the Ministry of Equipment), the draft law also aims to strengthen the safety of maritime navigation, to safeguard human lives at sea and to preserve the marine environment, reports Le360.

In a note presenting the project, the Ministry of Equipment explained that these pleasure craft are not subject to the rules of conduct like commercial or fishing vessels.

This project rather complements the provisions not provided for in the old Commercial Code of March 31, 1919. It does not provide for the obligation to have a maritime training certificate to operate a pleasure boat or a motorized nautical craft. According to the same media, this text does not address recreational navigation and pleasure craft from the "personal use" angle.

The commercial operation was therefore not considered by the legislator at the time of drafting this text, especially since this navigation was not developed. The same goes for motorized nautical craft, it is specified.

It should be noted that this new draft law, broken down into seven chapters, comes to complement the legislation in force, by setting a new legal framework that takes into account the technical, economic, social and legal developments that the maritime sector has undergone.