Cap. 234 Art. 267Power to make exemption orders.

(1) If in the opinion of the Minister the sheltered nature and conditions of international voyages -

(a) between near neighbouring ports in Malta and in another Convention country, or

(b) between near neighbouring ports in any two or more countries or territories outside Malta, make it unreasonable or impracticable to apply the load line provisions of this Act to ships plying on such voyages, and the Minister is satisfied that the government of the other country or territory (or, as the case may be, of each of the other countries or territories) concurs in that opinion, the Minister may, by order in the Gazette specifying the ports, direct that ships plying on international voyages between those ports, or any class of such ships specified in the order, shall be exempt from the load line provisions of this Act.

(2) The Minister may by order in the Gazette direct that ships under eighty net tons engaged solely in the coasting trade, or any class of such ships specified in the order, shall be exempt from the load line provisions of this Act while not carrying cargo, or, if the order so provides shall be exempt from those provisions whether carrying cargo or not.

(3) Any order under this article may be made subject to such conditions as the Minister thinks fit; and where any such order is made subject to conditions, the exemption conferred by the order shall not have effect in relation to a ship unless the ship complies with those conditions.