In the Gazzetta Ufficiale n. 135 dated 27 May 2020, the legislative decree 11 May 202, no. 38 was published, with which Italy brought into force the directive that modifies directive 98/41/CE of the Council, relating to the registration of persons on board passenger ships travelling to and from EU member states, and directive 2010/65/EU of the European Parliament and Council, relating to the formality of declaration of ships arriving in and/or leaving from ports of member states.
The measure in question, that will come into force on 11 June 2020, establishes the ways to communicate the number of and information about persons on board passenger ships, in order to improve the level of security and increase the possibility of rescuing passengers and on-board crew of such ships travelling to and from ports of EU member states in the case of emergency, as well as to guarantee more effective management of search and rescue operations and of the consequences of accidents at sea.
For the purpose of the decree, “passenger ship” refers to any ship or high-speed vessel that transports more than twelve passengers.
The decree does not apply to: a) yachts and high-speed yachts, i.e., vessels that are not used for commercial activities, regardless of their means of propulsion; b) vessels operating exclusively in port areas or in inland waterways.