Section 297: Power to make exemption orders

(1)
Where in the opinion of the Minister the sheltered nature and conditions of international voyages between ports in Nigeria and ports in neighbouring countries make it unreasonable or impracticable to apply the provisions of this Act to ships plying on such a voyage, and the Minister is satisfied that the Governments of the other countries concur in that opinion, the Minister may, by Order, specifying those ports, direct that ships plying on such voyages be exempt from provisions of this part.
(2)
The Minister may, by Order, direct that ships under twenty-four metres in length engaged solely in the costal trade, or any class of such ships specified in the Order be exempt from the provisions of this part of this Act.
(3)
Any Order under this section may be made subject to such conditions as the Minister thinks fit, and where any such Order is made subject to conditions, the exemption granted by the Order shall not have effect in relation to a ship unless the ship complies with those conditions.