Merchant Shipping Act (Cap. 234), article 281

281. (1) Where it appears to the Registrar-General that a Maltese ship, being in any port in or outside Malta, or a forei gn ship, being at a port in Malta, is an unsafe ship, the Registra r- General may - (a) in the case of a Maltese ship wherever she may be, suspend her certificate of r egistry and prohibit her 138 CAP. 234.] MERCHANT SHIPPING from proceeding to sea; or (b) in the case of a Maltese ship at a port in Malta, or a foreign ship, cause her to be detained, until he is satisfied that she is fit to proceed to sea. (2) Where the ship is detained pursuant to sub-article (1), the Registrar-General may adopt any measures or means he thinks suitable or necessary to prevent the ship from sailing while it is unseaworthy. (3) Where a ship has been det ained under sub-article (1) - (a) a detention notice specifying the grounds of the detention of such ship and prohibiting the ship from proceeding to sea until it is re leased shall forthwith be served on the mast er of the ship; (b) in the case of a foreign ship, a copy of such detention notice shall forthwith be sent to the nearest consular officer of the co untry to which the ship belongs; (c) the Registrar-General may a t any time, if he thinks it expedient, ref er the matter to the court of survey; and (d) the Registrar-General may at any time, if he is satisfied that such ship is no longer unsafe, order her to be released either upon or without any conditions. (4) A ship detained under this ar ticle shall not be released by reason of her Maltese registe r being subsequently closed. References of detention notices to court of survey. Substituted by: XXII. 2000.90. Amended by: I.2025.80.