Maritime Security Act 2004

Offences.

2.—(1) A person who unlawfully and intentionally does any of the following acts is guilty of an offence:

(a) seizing or exercising control over a ship or fixed platform by force or threat of force or any other form of intimidation;

(b) performing an act of violence against a person on board a ship or fixed platform if that act is likely to endanger the safe navigation of the ship or the safety of the fixed platform;

(c) destroying a ship or fixed platform;

(d) causing damage—

(i) to a ship or its cargo which is likely to endanger its safe navigation, or

(ii) to a fixed platform which is likely to endanger its safety;

(e) placing or causing to be placed on a ship or fixed platform, by any means, a device or substance which is likely to—

(i) destroy the ship or fixed platform, or

(ii) cause the damage referred to in paragraph (d);

(f) destroying or seriously damaging maritime navigational facilities or seriously interfering with their operation, if the destruction, damage or interference is likely to endanger the safe navigation of a ship;

(g) endangering the safe navigation of a ship by communicating information which the person knows to be false;

(h) injuring or killing any person in connection with doing any of the acts mentioned elsewhere in this subsection;

(i) with the aim of compelling a person to do or not to do any act, threatening to endanger the safe navigation of a ship by doing any of the acts mentioned elsewhere in this subsection;

(j) attempting to do any of the acts mentioned in this subsection.

(2) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for life.