Protection of Military Remains Act (Designation of Vessels and Controlled Sites) Order 2026

UK New Legislation

Published March 30th, 2026

Detected March 16th, 2026

Summary

The UK Ministry of Defence has issued the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 (Designation of Vessels and Controlled Sites) Order 2026. This order designates 113 vessels and 14 sites as controlled sites under the Act, revoking a previous designation order from 2019. The new designations come into force on March 30, 2026.

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What changed

The Secretary of State, acting under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986, has issued the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 (Designation of Vessels and Controlled Sites) Order 2026. This new order designates 113 specific vessels and 14 specific sites as controlled sites, meaning they fall under the protections of the Act. This designation revokes the previous designation order from 2019. The order comes into force on March 30, 2026.

This designation means that activities such as diving on, disturbing, or recovering artifacts from these designated vessels and sites are now subject to the provisions of the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986. Regulated entities, such as maritime heritage organizations, salvage companies, and potentially manufacturers or exporters of related equipment, should review the schedules to identify the specific locations and vessels affected. Compliance with the Act's requirements, which may include obtaining licenses for certain activities, is mandatory from the effective date.

What to do next

Review Schedule 1 and Schedule 2 of the Order to identify designated vessels and controlled sites.
Ensure compliance with the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 for any activities involving the designated sites or vessels.
Consult the Ministry of Defence for licensing requirements if planning any activities on or near designated sites.

Source document (simplified)

Status:

This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.

Statutory Instruments

2026 No. 286

DEFENCE

The Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 (Designation of Vessels and Controlled Sites) Order 2026

Made

9th March 2026

Coming into force

30th March 2026

The Secretary of State makes this Order in exercise of powers conferred by section 1(2) of the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986(1).

The vessels specified in Schedule 1 appear to the Secretary of State to fall within section 1(2)(a) and (3) of the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 (“ the Act ”).

The areas specified in Schedule 2 appear to the Secretary of State to fall within section 1(2)(b) and (4) of the Act.

Citation, commencement and interpretation

—(1) This Order may be cited as the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 (Designation of Vessels and Controlled Sites) Order 2026 and comes into force on 30th March 2026.

(2) In this Order any reference to a point is a reference to a point given by co-ordinates based on the World Geodetic System 1984.

Designated vessels

Each of the vessels specified in Schedule 1 to this Order is designated as a vessel to which the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 applies.

Designated controlled sites

Each of the areas specified in Schedule 2 to this Order is designated as a controlled site.

Revocation

The Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 (Designation of Vessels and Controlled Sites) Order 2019 (“previous designation Order”)(2) is revoked.

Coaker

Minister of State

Ministry of Defence

9th March 2026

SCHEDULES

Article 2

Schedule 1 Designated vessels

| | Name of vessel | Date of sinking (on or about) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| (a) | Atlantic Conveyor | 25th May 1982 |
| (b) | HMS Aboukir | 22nd September 1914 |
| (c) | HMS Acheron | 17th December 1940 |
| (d) | HMS Albacore | 9th March 1917 |
| (e) | HMS Amphion | 6th August 1914 |
| (f) | HMHS Anglia | 17th November 1915 |
| (g) | HMS Ardent | 31st May 1916 |
| (h) | SS Armenian | 28th June 1915 |
| (i) | HMT Beech | 22nd June 1941 |
| (j) | HMS Black Prince | 31st May 1916 |
| (k) | HMS Blackwood | 15th June 1944 |
| (l) | HMS Boadicea | 13th June 1944 |
| (m) | HMS Bullen | 6th December 1944 |
| (n) | RFA Cairndale | 30th May 1941 |
| (o) | HMS Calgardian | 1st March 1918 |
| (p) | Chasseur 06 | 11th October 1940 |
| (q) | Chasseur 07 | 11th October 1940 |
| (r) | HMS Coquette | 7th March 1916 |
| (s) | RFA Creosol | 7th February 1918 |
| (t) | HMS Cressy | 22nd September 1914 |
| (u) | HMS Curacao | 2nd October 1942 |
| (v) | HMS C29 | 29th August 1915 |
| (w) | HMS Defence | 31st May 1916 |
| (x) | HMS Delight | 29th July 1940 |
| (y) | RFA Dinsdale | 31st May 1942 |
| (z) | HMS Duke of Albany | 26th August 1916 |
| (aa) | HMS D5 | 3rd November 1914 |
| (ab) | Emile Deschamps | 4th June 1940 |
| (ac) | HMS Exmoor | 25th February 1941 |
| (ad) | HMS E6 | 26th December 1915 |
| (ae) | HMS E18 | 26th May 1916 |
| (af) | HMS E47 | 20th August 1917 |
| (ag) | HMS E49 | 12th March 1917 |
| (ah) | HMS E50 | 31st January 1918 |
| (ai) | HMS Falmouth | 20th August 1916 |
| (aj) | HMS Fisgard II | 17th September 1914 |
| (ak) | HMS Fitzroy | 27th May 1942 |
| (al) | HMS Fortuna | 3rd April 1941 |
| (am) | HMS Fortune | 31st May 1916 |
| (an) | HMS Gloucester | 22nd May 1941 |
| (ao) | HMS Ghurka | 8th February 1917 |
| (ap) | RFA Gray Ranger | 22nd September 1942 |
| (aq) | HMS G8 | 14th January 1918 |
| (ar) | HMS Hawke | 15th October 1914 |
| (as) | HMS Hogue | 22nd September 1914 |
| (at) | HMS Hood | 24th May 1941 |
| (au) | RFA Hungerford | 16th April 1918 |
| (av) | HMS Indefatigable | 31st May 1916 |
| (aw) | RFA Industry | 18th October 1918 |
| (ax) | HMS Invincible | 31st May 1916 |
| (ay) | HMY Iolaire | 1st January 1919 |
| (az) | RFA Isleford | 25th January 1942 |
| (ba) | HMS Jason | 3rd April 1917 |
| (bb) | HMS Kale | 27th March 1918 |
| (bc) | HMS K4 | 31st January 1918 |
| (bd) | HMS K17 | 31st January 1918 |
| (be) | HMT Kurd | 10th July 1945 |
| (bf) | HMS Lady Patricia | 20th May 1917 |
| (bg) | HMS Laurentic | 23rd January 1917 |
| (bh) | HMS Loyalty | 22nd August 1944 |
| (bi) | HMS Lynx | 9th August 1915 |
| (bj) | HMS L24 | 10th January 1924 |
| (bk) | HMS M1 | 12th November 1925 |
| (bl) | HMS M2 | 26th January 1932 |
| (bm) | SS Mendi | 21st February 1917 |
| (bn) | ML-247 | 29th September 1918 |
| (bo) | HMS Moldavia | 23rd May 1918 |
| (bp) | RFA Montenol | 1st May 1942 |
| (bq) | HMS Mourne | 15th June 1944 |
| (br) | HMS Nestor | 31st May 1916 |
| (bs) | HMS Nomad | 31st May 1916 |
| (bt) | HMS Nottingham | 19th August 1916 |
| (bu) | HMS Pathfinder | 5th September 1914 |
| (bv) | HMS Patia | 27th April 1941 |
| (bw) | HMS Penylan | 3rd December 1942 |
| (bx) | HMS Pheasant | 1st March 1917 |
| (by) | HMS Prince of Wales | 10th December 1941 |
| (bz) | HMS Queen Mary | 31st May 1916 |
| (ca) | HMS Recruit | 1st May 1915 |
| (cb) | HMS Repulse | 10th December 1941 |
| (cc) | HMS Shark | 31st May 1916 |
| (cd) | HMS Sheffield | 9th May 1982 |
| (ce) | RFA Salviking | 14th February 1944 |
| (cf) | RFA Sir Galahad | 25th June 1982 |
| (cg) | RFA Slavol | 26th March 1942 |
| (ch) | HMS Sparrowhawk | 31st May 1916 |
| (ci) | SS Storaa | 3rd November 1943 |
| (cj) | HMS Swordfish | 7th November 1940 |
| (ck) | USCG Tampa | 26th September 1918 |
| (cl) | TB-10 | 10th June 1915 |
| (cm) | TB-11 | 7th March 1916 |
| (cn) | HMS Tipperary | 31st May 1916 |
| (co) | HMS Turbulent | 31st May 1916 |
| (cp) | HMT Ullswater | 19th November 1942 |
| (cq) | HMS Umpire | 19th July 1941 |
| (cr) | HMS Vandal | 24th February 1943 |
| (cs) | HMS Vervain | 20th February 1945 |
| (ct) | HMS Viknor | 13th January 1915 |
| (cu) | HMS Vortigern | 15th March 1942 |
| (cv) | HMS Warrior | 31st May 1916 |
| (cw) | HMS Warwick | 20th February 1944 |
| (cx) | the U-12 | 5th October 1939 |
| (cy) | the U-87 | 25th December 1917 |
| (cz) | the U-714 | 14th March 1945 |
| (da) | the U-1018 | 27th February 1945 |
| (db) | the U-1063 | 15th April 1945 |
| (dc) | the UB-31 | 2nd May 1918 |
| (dd) | the UB-41 | 5th October 1917 |
| (de) | the UB-65 | 14th July 1918 |
| (df) | the UB-75 | 10th December 1917 |
| (dg) | the UB-78 | 19th April 1918 |
| (dh) | the UB-107 | 28th July 1918 |
| (di) | the UB-109 | 29th August 1918 |
Article 3

Schedule 2 Designated controlled sites

| | Remains of vessels concerned | Area designated as controlled site | Latitude of relevant point | Longitude of relevant point |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| (a) | HMS Affray | Area situated within 400 metres from the relevant point | 49°50.023′N. | 02°34.533′W. |
| (b) | HMS A7 | Area situated within 200 metres from the relevant point | 50°18.518′N. | 04°17.984′W. |
| (c) | HMS Bulwark | Area situated within 100 metres from the relevant point | 51°25.392′N. | 00°39.172′E. |
| (d) | HMS B2 | Area situated within 300 metres from the relevant point | 51°07.153′N. | 01°27.587′E. |
| (e) | HMS Cobra | Area situated within 100 metres from the relevant point | 53°27.00′N. | 01°07.00′E. |
| (f) | HMS Dasher | Area situated within 200 metres from the relevant point | 55°37.747′N. | 05°00.953′W. |
| (g) | HMS Exmouth | Area situated within 750 metres from the relevant point | 58°18.467′N. | 02°28.938′W. |
| (h) | HMS Formidable | Area situated within 400 metres from the relevant point | 50°13.179′N. | 03°04.071′W. |
| (i) | HMS Hampshire | Area situated within 300 metres from the relevant point | 59°07.065′N. | 03°23.843′W. |
| (j) | HMS H5 | Area situated within 300 metres from the relevant point | 53°05.483′N. | 04°41.975′W. |
| (k) | HMS Natal | Area situated within 100 metres from the relevant point | 57°41.2415′N. | 04°05.3207′W. |
| (l) | HMCS Regina | Area situated within 100 metres from the relevant point | 50°42.769′N. | 04°58.423′W. |
| (m) | HMS Royal Oak | Area situated within 350 metres from the relevant point | 58°55.848′N. | 02°59.001′W. |
| (n) | HMCS Trentonian | Area situated within 100 metres from the relevant point | 50°7.037′N. | 04°44.609′W. |
| (o) | the UB-81 | Area situated within 250 metres from the relevant point | 50°29.442′N. | 00°58.351′W. |
| (p) | HMS Vanguard | Area situated within 350 metres from the relevant point | 58°51.400′N. | 03°06.405′W. |

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order designates vessels and controlled sites for protection under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 (“ the Act ”).

Article 2 provides for, and Schedule 1 lists, the vessels designated as vessels to which the Act applies. This list includes all those vessels which were designated in the previous designation Order, and also includes the following vessels, which are designated as vessels for the first time under the Act: HMS Albacore, RFA Cairndale, HMS Coquette, RFA Dinsdale, Emile Deschamps, RFA Gray Ranger, HMS Hawke, RFA Hungerford, RFA Industry, HMS Jason, HMS Kale, RFA Montenol, ML-247, HMS Nottingham, HMS Recruit, RFA Salviking, RFA Slavol, USCG Tampa, TB-10, and TB-11.

Article 3 provides for, and Schedule 2 lists, the areas designated as controlled sites under the Act. This includes all those areas which were designated in the previous designation Order; for HMS Royal Oak and HMS Vanguard, the areas around them designated as a controlled site have been extended to 350 metres, and for HMS Natal the co-ordinates of the relevant point have been altered. Controlled sites have been designated for the first time for HMS Cobra, HMCS Regina, and HMCS Trentonian.

Article 4 revokes the previous designation Order.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.

(1) 1986 c. 35.

(2) S.I. 2019/1191.