Section 310: Ships not to proceed to see unless complying with Load Line Regulations

(1)
No Nigerian load line ship shall proceed to sea unless-
(a)
the ship has been surveyed in accordance with the Load Line Regulations either by a surveyor of ships or by any organisation authorised to act in that behalf by the Minister or at his request by the Government or any Convention Country;
(b)
the ship complies with the conditions for the assignment of load line prescribed in the Load Line Regulations;
(c)
the ship is marked on each side with a mark (in this Act referred to as "deckline") indicating the position of the uppermost deck and with marks (in this Act referred to as "load lines"), indicating the several maximum depths to which the ship is permitted to load in various circumstances prescribed by the Load Line Regulations; and
(d)
the deck-line and load lines are of the descriptions and in the positions required by the Load Line Regulations.
(2)
Where the ship proceeds or attempts to proceed to sea in contravention of this section the master or owner thereof is liable to a fine not less than five hundred thousand Naira and the ship may be detained until it has been so surveyed and marked.