I suspect (speculation!) part of the issue is that some of the shipping regulations aren't really readily applicable to pleasure boats in the charter fleet. Classifying them as "commercial vessels" brings a lot of largely irrelevant and onerous paperwork and regulations that has been tacitly ignored by both sides until the UK audit.

As far as Moorings being slow in "complying", it is also very possible that the rate at which they can get these boats' licenses sorted out involves submitting paperwork applications to BVI agencies which may not turn them around in the expeditious manner that the situation requires.

With so little known, I for one am not rushing to judgment on any side.