Merchant Shipping Act (Cap. 234), article 255

255. (1) Where a ship to which the load line provisions of this Act apply, being a ship registered under this Act, has been sur veyed and marked in accordance with the load line rules, the appropri ate certificate shall be issued to the owner of the ship on his application. (2) For the purposes of this ar ticle, the appropriate certificat e - (a) in the case of an existing ship of not less than one hundred and fifty tons gross tonnage, and in the case of a new ship of not less than twenty-four metres in length, is a certificate to b e called an "International Load Line Certificate (1966)"; and (b) in the case of any other ship, is a certificate to be called a "Malta load line certificate". (3) Subject to the next following sub-article, any certificate required by sub-article (1) to be issued shall be issued by the Minister and shall be in such form, and shall be issued in such manner, as may be prescrib ed by the load line rules. (4) The Minister may request a contracting government to issue an International Load Line Certi ficate (1966) in respect of any ship to which the load line provisions of this Act apply which is a ship registered under this Act and falling within sub-article (2)( a); and the following of the load line provisions of this Act shall hav e effect in relation to such a cer tificate so issued, which conta ins a statement that it has been issued at the request of the Governm ent of Malta, as they have effect in relation to an International L oad Line Certificate (1966) issued by the Minister. Effect of load line certificate.