Merchant Shipping Act, 1966

Prohibition on proceeding to sea without appropriate certificates.

6.—(1) No ship to which section 3 of this Act applies and which is registered in the State shall proceed to sea unless there is in force in respect of the ship either—

(a) a cargo ship safety construction certificate; or

(b) a qualified cargo ship safety construction certificate and, if the ship is about to proceed on an international voyage, a corresponding exemption certificate; or

(c) such certificate or certificates as would be required if she were a passenger steamer,

applicable to the ship and to the voyage on which she is about to proceed.

(2) If any ship proceeds, or attempts to proceed, to sea in contravention of this section, the owner or master of the ship shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction thereof, to a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds.

(3) The master of every ship to which section 3 of this Act applies and which is registered in the State shall produce to the officer of customs from whom a clearance for the ship is demanded the certificate or certificates required by the foregoing provisions of this section; and the clearance shall not be granted, and the ship may be detained, until the said certificate or certificates are so produced.