Section 239

Any person who sends or attempts to send, or is party to sending or attempting to send, a British ship to sea from any port in Singapore in such an unseaworthy state that the life of any person is likely to be thereby endangered shall be guilty of an offence, unless he proves either that he used all reasonable means to ensure her being sent to sea in a seaworthy state, or that her going to sea in such an unseaworthy state was under the circumstances reasonable and justifiable.

Any master of a British ship who knowingly takes the ship to sea in such an unseaworthy state that the life of any person is likely to be thereby endangered shall be guilty of an offence, unless he proves that her going to sea in such an unseaworthy state was under the circumstances reasonable and justifiable.

A prosecution under this section shall not be instituted otherwise than with the consent of the Minister.

An offence under this section shall be punishable with a fine not exceeding $10,000 or with imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years.

This section shall not apply to any ship employed exclusively in trading or going from place to place in any river or inland water of which the whole or part is in Singapore.[260