Merchant Shipping Act (Cap. 234), article 208

208. ( 1 ) T h e M i n i s t e r m a y , i n r e l a t i o n t o a n y s h i p s t o w h i c h this article applies, make rules (in this Act referred to as "r ules for life-saving appliances") with respect to all or any of the foll owing matters, namely: (a) the arrangement of ships into classes, having regard to the services in which they are employed, to the nature and duration of the voyage, and to the number of passengers carried; (b) the number, description and mode of construction of the boats, life-rafts, line-throwing appliances, life- jackets, and lifebuoys to be carried by ships, according to the classes in which the ships are arranged; (c) the equipment to be carried by any such boats and rafts, and the methods to be provided to get the boats and other life-saving appliances into the water, including oil for use in stormy weather; (d) the provision in ships of a proper supply of lights inextinguishable in water, and fitted for attachment to lifebuoys; (e) the quantity, quality and description of buoyant apparatus to be carried on board ships, either in addition to or in substitution for boats, life-rafts, life- jackets and lifebuoys; (f) the position and means of securing the boats, life-rafts, life-jackets, lifebuoys and buoyant apparatus; (g) the marking of the boats, life-rafts and buoyant apparatus as to show their dimensions and the number of persons authorised to be carried on them; (h) the manning of the lifeboats and the qualifications and certificates of lifeboat men; (i) the provision to be made for mustering the persons on board and for embarking them in the boats (including provision for the lighting of, and the means of ingress to and egress from, different parts of the ship); (j) the provision of suitable means situated outside the engine room whereby any discharge of water into the boats can be prevented; 104 CAP. 234.] MERCHANT SHIPPING (k) the assignment of specific duties to each member of the crew in the event of emergency; (l) the methods to be adopted and the appliances to be carried in ships for the prevention, detection and extinction of fire; (m) the provision in ships of plans or other information relating to the means of preventing, detecting, controlling and extinguishing outbreaks of fire; (n) the practice in ships of boat-drills and fire-drills; (o) the provision in ships of means of making effective distress signals by day and night; (p) the provision, in ships engaged on voyages in which pilots are likely to be embarked, of suitable pilot- ladders, and of ropes, lights and appliances designed to make the use of such ladders safe; (q) the examination and maintenance at intervals to be prescribed by the rules of a ny appliances or equipment required by the rules to be carried. (2) This article applies to: (a) Maltese ships; (b) all other ships while the y are in Maltese waters. Radio rules. Amended by: XXII.2000.83.