Merchant Shipping Act, 1894

Detention of property liable for salvage by a receiver.

552.(1) Where salvage is due to any person under this Act, the receiver shall—

(a) if the salvage is due in respect of services rendered in assisting any vessel, or in saving life therefrom, or in saving the cargo or apparel thereof, detain the vessel and cargo or apparel; and

(b) if the salvage is due in respect of the saving of any wreck, and the wreck is not sold as unclaimed under the Act, detain the wreck.

(2) Subject as herein-after mentioned, the receiver shall detain the vessel and the cargo and apparel, or the wreck (herein-after referred to as detained property) until payment is made for salvage, or process is issued for the arrest or detention thereof by some competent court.

(3) A receiver may release any detained property if security is given to his satisfaction or, if the claim for salvage exceeds two hundred pounds, and any question is raised as to the sufficiency of the security, to the satisfaction in England or Ireland of the High Court, and in Scotland of the Court of Session, including any division of that court, or the Lord Ordinary officiating on the bills during vacation.

(4) Any security given for salvage in pursuance of this section to an amount exceeding two hundred pounds may be enforced by such court as aforesaid in the same manner as if bail had been given in that court