Merchant Shipping Act, 1894

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Time, &c. for marking of load-line in case of foreign-going vessels

440.[¹] —(1) Where a ship proceeds on any voyage from a port in the United Kingdom for which the owner is required to enter the ship outwards, the disc indicating the load-line shall be marked, before so entering her, or, if that is not practicable, as soon afterwards as may be.

(2) The owner of the ship shall upon entering her outwards insert in the form of entry a statement in writing of the distance in feet and inches between the centre of this disc and the upper edge of each of the deck-lines which is above that centre, and if default is made in inserting that statement, the ship may be detained.

(3) The master of the ship shall enter a copy of that statement in the agreement with the crew before it is signed by any member of the crew, and a superintendent shall not proceed with the engagement of the crew until that entry is made.

(4) The master of the ship shall also enter a copy of that statement in the official log-book.

(5) When a ship to which this section applies has been marked with a disc indicating the load-line, she shall be kept so marked [² or if the mark has been altered abroad in accordance with regulations made by the Board of Trade for the purpose, marked with the mark as so altered] until her next return to a port of discharge in the United Kingdom.

[¹ See note [¹], p. 588. This section is further extended by 6 Edw. 7. c. 48. s. 8.]

[² Words in brackets added by 6 Edw. 7. c. 48. s. 8 (4).]