Hong Kong Regulations

MERCHANT SHIPPING (LOCAL VESSELS) (CERTIFICATION AND LICENSING) REGULATION - SECT 33

Suspension of full licence or temporary licence after damage of vessel

(1) Where a local vessel sustains damage that may affect its seaworthiness or
affect the safety of persons on board, the owner, his agent and the coxswain
shall report the occurrence forthwith to the Director.

(2) Having regard to the nature and extent of the damage reported under
subsection (1), the Director may give a direction either orally or in writing
to the owner, his agent or the coxswain that the vessel shall not operate
until a Government surveyor or ship inspector has inspected the vessel and has
found that the vessel is seaworthy and the safety of persons on board the
vessel will not be at risk.

(3) If a Government surveyor or ship inspector, finds on inspection that the
vessel is unseaworthy or unsafe, he shall notify the Director of the findings
and the Director may by written notice given to the owner, his agent or the
coxswain specifying the findings, suspend—

   (a)  the certificate of survey (if any); and

   (b)  the full licence or temporary licence, and the owner, his agent or the
        coxswain to whom the notice is given shall forthwith deliver the
        certificate and licence that are suspended to the Director.

(4) The owner, his agent or the coxswain may, after proper repairs to the
vessel, apply for the vessel to be re-inspected by a Government surveyor or
ship inspector. (24 of 2005 s. 30)

(5) If a Government surveyor or ship inspector finds on re-inspection that the
vessel is seaworthy and the safety of persons on board the vessel will not be
at risk, he shall notify the Director of the findings and the Director shall,
on payment of the prescribed fee, terminate the suspension of the
certificate of survey and the full licence or temporary licence under
subsection (3) and return the certificate and the licence to the owner, his
agent or the coxswain by whom they were delivered. (24 of 2005 s. 30)

(6) A person who, without reasonable excuse, contravenes subsection

(1) or (3) or fails to comply with a direction under subsection (2) commits an
offence and is liable on conviction to a fine at level 3 and to imprisonment
for 6 months.

(7) In this section, "ship inspector" (驗船督察) means a person holding
the office of Chief Ship Inspector, Senior Ship Inspector, Ship Inspector or
Assistant Ship Inspector in the Government.

"ship inspector" (驗船督察)