Workboat Code 3 explained in plain English – and what it means for your vessel

Workboat Code Edition 3 (WB3) is the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency's safety standard for small commercial workboats and pilot boats. It has been in force since 13 December 2023 and replaces Workboat Code Edition 2. The Code is written for regulators and surveyors. This page is written for owners, operators and crews: what the Code covers, what changed, what the deadlines are and where vessels typically fall short at survey.

BRAGER Solutions carries out Workboat Code surveys as accredited coding surveyors and guides operators through the transition from WB2 to WB3. If you would rather talk than read, call us – otherwise, read on.

Who the Code applies to

In plain terms, WB3 applies to a vessel if all of the following are true:

• It is used commercially as a workboat or pilot boat – towing, pushing, crew transfer, survey, dive support, dredging support, aquaculture, wind farm support, cargo up to 1,000 GT and similar work.

• It is less than 24 metres in load line length.

• It carries no more than 12 passengers (industrial personnel are counted separately under the Code).

• It is UK-flagged, or it is a foreign-flagged vessel operating from a UK port or in UK waters and does not hold an equivalent certificate accepted by the MCA.

Vessels that fall outside these limits – larger workboats, passenger vessels, fishing vessels – are covered by other regimes. If you are unsure which rules apply to your vessel, that is exactly the kind of question we answer daily.

What changed from WB2 to WB3

WB3 is not a light revision. These are the changes that affect our clients most often:

A Safety Management System is now mandatory. Every WB3 vessel needs a documented SMS proportionate to its size and operation – not a set of loose procedures. The surveyor will look for risk assessments, a designated person, defined emergency procedures, a critical equipment list and evidence that the system is actually used on board.

Crew qualifications have been tightened. WB3 sets out specific training and certification for masters and crew, including navigation and radar training under MGN 691 for electronic chart and radar use, stability awareness and additional competent persons depending on the category of operation. Many crews certified under WB2 need at least one course to be compliant.

Stability documentation is scrutinised. The Stability Information Booklet must be approved against the current standard and must actually cover the way the vessel is operated – area category, number of persons on board, towing and lifting. Booklets approved years ago under MGN 280 or WB2, or based on sister-vessel data, are a frequent stumbling block.

Cyber security and fatigue are now part of safety management. The SMS is expected to address crew fatigue management and to include a cyber security framework for the vessel's electronic systems. Most existing SMS manuals do not cover either.

Equipment and maintenance evidence. Life-saving appliances, EPIRB hydrostatic releases, liferaft servicing, medical stores, flares and lifting equipment inspections are checked against the Code's intervals. Anchor sizing follows the high-holding-power concept and can differ from the WB2 calculation.

Operations and categories. Area categories and the categories of operation have been restated. Vessels operating in more demanding conditions than their certificate and stability booklet allow are a recurring finding – and one with real consequences.

The full list of changes runs to several pages of the Code. We have mapped every WB3 clause against WB2 and use that map in our gap analyses.

Transition from WB2: your deadline

Vessels already certified under Workboat Code 2, the Brown Code or MGN 280 must comply with WB3 by their next renewal examination or 13 December 2026, whichever is later. For most operators that means the transition happens at the next renewal – and that renewal is treated as a full examination against WB3, including in-water and out-of-water elements. It is not a paperwork exercise.

Our experience is that a WB2-to-WB3 renewal takes three to six months when it is prepared properly. Stability re-approval, SMS revisions, crew courses and equipment procurement all have lead times. Starting six weeks before certificate expiry is how vessels end up with emergency surveys and expensive interim measures.

How BRAGER Solutions helps

WB3 gap analysis. We review your certificates, stability booklet, SMS, crew documents and equipment records against every relevant WB3 clause and hand you a prioritised action list with cost and lead-time indications. Typically delivered within two weeks of receiving your documents.

Transition management. We plan the renewal with you, coordinate with the Certifying Authority, flag state, class and naval architects, and track the open items until the certificate is issued.

SMS and documentation. We revise or draft your Safety Management System to WB3, including fatigue management, cyber security framework, critical equipment list and a clause-mapping table for audit traceability.

Crew briefing and training. We brief masters and crews on what WB3 changes for them on board and which courses are required for their category of operation.

Coding surveys. As accredited coding surveyors we carry out the WB3 examination itself – in-water and out-of-water – on behalf of the Certifying Authority.

Talk to a surveyor

Tell us about your vessel and we will come back to you within one working day with a first assessment of what WB3 means for you.

Or directly: +49 171 6457508 · info@brager.solutions

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-workboat-code-edition-3

„For the survey itself, see our MCA Small Vessel Coding service" → /mca-small-vessel

Sources and legal note

• The Workboat Code Edition 3 – GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-workboat-code-edition-3

• MGN 691 (M) – Navigation and radar training requirements for Workboat Code 3

• MIN 698 (M) – Workboat Code Edition 3 standards and guidelines for best practice

• Small craft codes of practice collection – GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/small-craft-codes-of-practice

This page is an independent explanation by BRAGER Solutions. It is not an official publication of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and BRAGER Solutions is not endorsed by the MCA. It does not replace the Workboat Code Edition 3, the associated Merchant Shipping Notice or the advice of your Certifying Authority; in case of doubt the official text prevails. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Last reviewed September 2026.

Typical findings at WB3 surveys

Based on the transitions we have handled, these are the findings we see again and again:

• Stability Information Booklet approved to an older standard or not covering the certified category of operation and number of persons.

• SMS without fatigue policy, without cyber security section, or with a blank critical equipment list.

• Crew certificates that do not match WB3 requirements for the category of operation.

• Overdue liferaft service, EPIRB hydrostatic release units past their date, medical stores and pyrotechnics expired.

• Lifting equipment without current thorough examination records.

• Anchors and cables not verified against the WB3 calculation.

• Certificate scope (area category, persons) not matching the way the vessel is actually chartered.

None of these are exotic. All of them are avoidable if they are identified before the surveyor steps on board.

Frequently asked questions

Is my Workboat Code 2 certificate still valid? Yes, until its expiry date or 13 December 2026, whichever is later. The next renewal examination will be carried out against WB3.

Is the transition just an upgrade of the certificate? No. The MCA treats the WB2-to-WB3 transition as a renewal examination under WB3, with in-water and out-of-water survey elements and a full document review.

What is the difference between the Workboat Code and the Sport or Pleasure Vessel Code? The Workboat Code covers vessels used for work – towing, crew transfer, survey and similar. The Sport or Pleasure Vessel Code (in force since December 2025, replacing the Blue, Yellow and Red Codes and MGN 280) covers vessels used commercially for sport or pleasure, such as charter yachts and sail training vessels. Some vessels can be certified under either, depending on how they are operated – we can advise which route fits your business.

Does WB3 apply to my non-UK-flagged vessel? If the vessel operates from a UK port or in UK waters without an accepted equivalent certificate, UK requirements apply. Many EU-flagged workboats working on UK wind farm and civil projects therefore hold a Workboat Code certificate alongside their flag documents.

What is a Certifying Authority, and can BRAGER do the survey? The MCA delegates Workboat Code certification to Certifying Authorities such as SCMS and MECAL. Surveys are carried out by surveyors accredited by these bodies. BRAGER Solutions' surveyors are accredited coding surveyors and carry out the examination on behalf of the Certifying Authority, which issues the certificate.

Do I need a Safety Management System even for a small workboat with one crew member? Yes. The Code requires an SMS for every vessel, scaled to the size and complexity of the operation. For a small single-handed vessel this can be a compact document – but it must exist and be used.

What are area categories? Area categories define how far from a safe haven and in which conditions a vessel may operate, from sheltered waters to unrestricted service. The category on your certificate must match your stability booklet, your equipment and the way you actually operate.

My stability booklet is from the original build. Is that a problem? Often, yes. Booklets approved under MGN 280 or WB2, or covering fewer persons or a smaller area category than the certificate, usually need a supplement or a full re-approval by a naval architect against WB3 Appendix 3.

Where do I find the official Code? On GOV.UK, free of charge – see the sources at the bottom of this page. We explain it; we do not replace it.