Cap. 234 чл. 281Power to detain unsafe ships. 

(1) Where it appears to the Registrar-General that a

Maltese ship, being in any port in or outside Malta, or a foreign ship, being at a port in Malta, is an unsafe ship, the Registrar-

General may -

(a) in the case of a Maltese ship wherever she may be, suspend her certificate of registry and prohibit her from proceeding to sea; or

(b) in the case of a Maltese ship at a port in Malta, or a foreign ship, cause her to be detained, until he is satisfied that she is fit to proceed to sea.

(2) Where the ship is detained pursuant to sub-article (1), the Registrar-General may adopt any measures or means he thinks suitable or necessary to prevent the ship from sailing while it is unseaworthy.

(3) Where a ship has been detained under sub-article (1) -

(a) a detention notice specifying the grounds of the detention of such ship and prohibiting the ship from proceeding to sea until it is released shall forthwith be served on the master of the ship;

(b) in the case of a foreign ship, a copy of such detention notice shall forthwith be sent to the nearest consular officer of the country to which the ship belongs;

(c) the Registrar-General may at any time, if he thinks it expedient, refer the matter to the court of survey; and

(d) the Registrar-General may at any time, if he is satisfied that such ship is no longer unsafe, order her to be released either upon or without any conditions.

(4) A ship detained under this article shall not be released by reason of her Maltese register being subsequently closed.