Merchant Shipping Act (Cap. 234), article 279

279. (1) If any person sends or attempts to send, or is a party to sending or attempting to send, a ship to sea in such an unseaworthy state that the life of any person is likely to be t hereby endangered, he shall, unless he proves that he used all reasona ble means to ensure her being sent to sea in a seaworthy state or t hat her going to sea in such an unseaworthy state was, under the circumstances, reasonable and jus tifiable, be liable in respect of each offence to imprisonment for a period not exceeding two yea rs or to a fine ( multa ) not exceeding one thousand units or to both such imprisonment and fine ( multa ). (2) If the master of a ship knowingly takes the same to sea in such an unseaworthy state that t he life of any person is likely to be thereby endangered, he shall, unl ess he proves that her going t o sea in such an unseaworthy state was, under the circumstances, reasonable and justifiable, be liable in respect of each offenc e to imprisonment for a period not exceeding two years or to a fine (multa ) not exceeding one thousand units or to both such imprisonment and fine ( multa ). (3) The provisions of sub- article (1) shall apply mutatis mutandis to any person who sends or a ttempts to send, or is a party to sending or attempting to send, a foreign ship to sea from an y port in Malta. Obligations as to seaworthiness in relation to the crew. Substituted by: XXII. 2000.90. Amended by: I.2025.79.