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(1) A general surveyor of ships may at a reasonable time inspect a ship for the purpose of ensuring that it is in compliance with the Safety Convention, the Load Line Convention, the Collision Regulations and the relevant Regulations.

(2) Where the surveyor finds that the conventions or the Regulations have not been complied with, the surveyor shall give written notice to the owner or master of the ship stating in what respect there is deficiency and what action in the surveyor's opinion, is required to remedy the deficiency.

(3) A notice given shall be communicated in a manner directed by the Director-General to the customs officer the port at which the ship may seek a clearance and the clearance shall not be granted and the ship shall be detained until the action required by the surveyor in the notice has been complied with.

(4) Where the surveyor considers the ship unsafe, or where a passenger ship is unfit to carry passengers, or the machinery or equipment is defective in a way that exposes the persons on board to serious danger, the surveyor shall detain that ship.

(5) A surveyor may also detain a ship in respect of which any of the provisions of this

Act or the Regulations have not been complied with, if in the surveyor's opinion the detention is warranted in the circumstances.

(6) Where, under this section, a surveyor visits a ship, the surveyor may ask the owner or the owner's agent, the master or chief engineer, or any other person on board and in charge or who appears to be in charge of the ship, questions concerning the ship as the surveyor considers appropriate and that person shall fully and truthfully answer those questions.

(7) A surveyor may reasonably require the owner or the owner's agent, the master or chief engineer or any other person on board and in charge, or who appears to be in charge of the ship that the machinery of the ship be activated or dismantled so that the surveyor may be satisfied as to its condition and a person on whom the request is made and who is capable of satisfying the requirement shall comply with the requirement.

(8) A person who contravenes subsection (6) or (7) commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of not less than two hundred and fifty penalty units and not exceeding five hundred penalty units or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding two years or to both the fine and the imprisonment.