(1) Where a valid Safety Convention Certificate is produced in respect of a foreign Safety Convention ship, it shall be accepted and the ship shall be exempted from surveys or inspection under section 296, unless there are clear grounds for believing that the condition of the ship or its equipment does not correspond substantially with the particulars of the certificate or that the ship or its equipment are not in compliance with the Regulations regarding the maintenance of conditions of ships and their equipment after survey.

(2) Where a certificate is not accepted due to the circumstances referred to in subsection (1) or where a certificate has expired or ceased to be valid, the ship shall not be granted clearance and the ship shall be detained until she can proceed to sea or to the appropriate repair yard without causing danger to the ship or persons on board, and the following persons shall be notified in writing of the circumstances:

(a) the local consul of the ship's flag state or, in the consul's absence, the nearest diplomatic representative of the ship's flag State, and

  (b) nominated surveyors or recognised organisations responsible for the issue of the certificates referred to in sub-section (1).