Section 279: Penalty for sending unseaworthy ships to sea

(1)
A person who sends or attempts to send, or is party to sending or attempting to send, a Nigerian ship to sea in such an unseaworthy state that the life of any person is likely to be endangered, by so doing, commits an offence under this Act, unless he proves that he used all reasonable means to ensure that the ship was sent to sea in a seaworthy state or that its going to sea in such an unseaworthy state, was under the circumstances, reasonable and justifiable.
(2)
Every master of a Nigerian ship who knowingly takes the ship to sea in such an unseaworthy state that the life of any person is likely to be thereby endangered commits an offence and unless he proves that the ships going to sea in such an unseaworthy state, was under the circumstances, reasonable and justifiable.
(3)
Any person who commits an offence under subsection (1) or (2) of this section shall on conviction be liable to a fine not less than one million Naira or to imprisonment for a term not less than two years, or both.