Section 26

The Minister may appoint a place, to be called the Mercantile Marine Office, and such other places as he may think fit to be called Mercantile Marine Sub-Offices, at all of which places shall be conducted any business connected with the engagement and discharge in Singapore of seamen on board British ships and any foreign ships whose flag is not represented by a consular officer resident in Singapore.

The Director shall be the Superintendent of the Mercantile Marine Office.

The Superintendent may appoint such number of deputy superintendents as he may think fit, all of whom shall have and exercise all the powers conferred on the Superintendent by or under this Act.

Where the Superintendent requires a seaman to produce a certificate of discharge from his last ship, that seaman shall not be engaged until he has produced the certificate or until he has given a satisfactory explanation to the Superintendent of the cause of such non-production.[39