Mercantile Marine Act, 1955

Obligation to register ships owned by Irish citizens and Irish bodies corporate.

18.—(1) Every ship which is wholly owned by an Irish citizen or an Irish body corporate shall be registered under this Act, unless she is a ship exempt under subsection (2) of this section from the obligation to register under this Act.

(2) The following ships shall be exempt from the obligation to register under this Act but may be so registered:—

(a) ships not exceeding fifteen net register tons burden employed solely in navigation on the rivers, canals, lakes or coasts of Ireland, Great Britain, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man;

(b) ships acquired before the date of the passing of this Act;

(c) ships in respect of which the Minister has, under section 21 of this Act, consented to registry under the law of another country;

(d) ships owned by Irish citizens not ordinarily resident in the State.

(3) If a ship required by subsection (1) of this section to be registered is not registered under this Act, she shall not be entitled to any benefits, privileges, advantages or protection usually enjoyed by an Irish ship or to use the proper national colours or assume Irish national character, but so far as regards the payment of dues, the liability to fines and forfeiture and the punishment of offences committed on board such ship or by any persons belonging to her, such ship shall be dealt with in the same manner as if she were an Irish ship.

(4) A ship required by this Act to be registered may be detained until the master of the ship, if so required, produces the certificate of the registry of the ship.