This document establishes the legal framework and regulatory requirements for merchant shipping operations within the jurisdiction of Bermuda as enacted by the British government. The text serves as a formal statutory instrument, detailing the specific legislative mandates and administrative protocols required to maintain compliance with international maritime standards. It functions as a primary legal reference for vessel registration, safety regulations, and the operational conduct of merchant ships under the purview of the 1979 Act.

Legal professionals and maritime historians utilize this document as a foundational reference for understanding the historical regulatory environment of Bermuda's shipping industry. The text is characterized by its dense, technical legal prose typical of statutory instruments from this period.