Hong Kong Ordinances

MERCHANT SHIPPING (LOCAL VESSELS) ORDINANCE - SECT 27

Application of collision regulations and use of signals of distress regulations

(1) Subject to any special provision in or under this Ordinance, the
collision regulations and the use of signals of distress regulations shall
apply to all local vessels wherever they may be, and shall, for the purpose of
their application by virtue of this section, be read and
construed as if references to "ships" were references to "local vessels within
the meaning of the Merchant Shipping (Local Vessels) Ordinance ( Cap  548)"
and references to "registered in Hong Kong" were deleted.

(2) If any of the collision regulations is contravened by a local  vessel, the
owner of the vessel, his agent, the coxswain and any person for the time being
responsible for the conduct of the vessel shall each be guilty of an offence
and liable on conviction to a fine at level 4.

(3) It shall be a defence to a charge under subsection (2) for the person
charged to prove that he took all reasonable precautions to prevent the
contravention to which the charge relates.

(4) If the coxswain of a vessel uses or displays or causes or permits any
person under his authority to use or display-

   (a)  any signal prescribed by the collision regulations except in the
        circumstances and for the purposes prescribed by the
        use of signals of  distress regulations; or

   (b)  any private signal, whether registered or not, which is liable to be
        mistaken for any signal prescribed by the collision regulations, he
        commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine at level 4
        and shall further be liable to pay compensation for any labour
        undertaken, risk incurred or loss sustained in consequence of the
        signal having been supposed to be a signal of distress; and that
        compensation may, without prejudice to any other remedy, be recovered
        in the same manner as salvage.