Section 259: Exemption of certain ships from certain provisions of this Part

(1)
Nothing in this part of this Act-
(a)
prohibiting or preventing a ship from proceeding to sea unless there are in force in respect of the ship or is produced, the appropriate Safety Convention Certificate issued under this part or the appropriate Accepted Safety Convention Certificate; or
(b)
conferring powers on a surveyor for the purpose of verifying the existence, validity or correctness of any Safety Convention Certificate, or that the conditions under which any such certificate was issued are complied with; or
(c)
requiring information about a ship's stability to be carried on board; or
(d)
imposing a penalty for the contravention of any rule relating to openings in the hulls of ships and watertight bulkheads, shall, apply to any troop-ship, pleasure yacht, fishing boat or to any ship of less than one hundred tons gross tonnage, other than a passenger ship, or to any ship not propelled by mechanical means.
(2)
Notwithstanding that any provision of this part of this Act is expressed to apply to ships not registered in Nigeria while they are within any port in Nigeria, the provision shall not apply to a ship that entered into the port due to the stress of weather or any other circumstances that the master or owner, or the charterer, if any, of the ship could not have prevented or forestalled.