Section 327: Minister to make tonnage regulations

(1)
The Minister, by regulations, (in this Act referred to as "the Tonnage Regulations") may-
(a)
provide for ascertaining the tonnage of ships;
(b)
make different provisions for different descriptions of ships or for the same description of ships in different circumstances;
(c)
make any provision of the regulations dependent on compliance with such conditions to be evidenced in such manner as may be specified in the regulations;
(d)
prohibit or restrict the carriage of goods or stores in spaces not included in the registered tonnage of a ship; and
(e)
make provision for the master and the owner of the ship to be liable to a fine of two hundred thousand Naira on contravention or any of the provisions.
(2)
In the Tonnage Regulations, provision may be made-
(a)
for assigning to a ship, in place of the tonnage ascertained in accordance with the other provisions of the regulations, a lower tonnage applicable where the ship is not to be loaded to the full depth to which it can otherwise be safely loaded;
(b)
for indicating on the ship by such mark as is specified, that such a lower tonnage has been assigned to it and, where it has been assigned to it as an alternative, the depth to which the ship can be loaded for the lower tonnage to be applicable; and
(c)
for the issue of documents certifying the registered tonnage of any ship or the tonnage that is to be taken for any purpose specified as the tonnage of a ship not registered in Nigeria.
(3)
Any person who contravenes any of the provisions of these Regulations commits an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine of not less than two hundred thousand Naira.
(4)
In making the tonnage regulations the Minister shall have due regard to the International Convention on Tonnage Measurement of Ships 1969, including any amendments to the Convention.