Mercantile Marine Act, 1955

National character of ship to be declared before clearance.

15.—(1) An officer of customs and excise shall not grant a clearance or transire for a ship until the master has stated the nationality of the ship to the officer, and the officer shall there upon inscribe that nationality on the clearance or transire.

(2) A ship which attempts to proceed to sea without having the clearance or transire inscribed under subsection (1) of this section, may be detained until the statement of nationality is made.

Qualification for Ownership and Obligation to Register.