Section 218: Surveyors of ships

(1)
The Minister may appoint such number of qualified persons as Surveyors or ships, as he deems necessary for the purposes of this part of this Act.
(2)
The Minister may, from time to time, recognise any qualified person as a Surveyor or ships for the purposes of this Act, whether generally or for any specific purpose, or occasion.
(3)
Every Surveyor or ships and every Radio Surveyor shall have and perform the powers, functions and duties conferred on him by this Act and such other powers, functions and duties as may be necessary to carry into effect the provisions of this part of this Act.
(4)
Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (3) or this Section, a Surveyor of ships or a Radio Surveyor may-
(a)
in the execution of his duties, at all reasonable times, go on board any Nigerian ship, wherever the ship may be and any other ship while the ship is in Nigeria, and without unnecessarily detaining or delaying the ship from proceeding on any voyage or excursion, survey or inspect the ship or any part of the ship, or any of the machinery, boats and equipments, cargo and other property or articles on board the ship, and any certificates or other documents which relate to the ship, or to any Officer of the ship, and to which this Act applies; and
(b)
in consequence of an accident in a ship or for any other reason he considers necessary, require the ship to be taken into dock for the purpose of surveying or inspecting the hull of the ship.
(5)
The Minister may make rules as to the powers, functions and duties of Surveyors under this Act.