Singapore legislation
Section 59
Section 59
Power to detain ships
(1)
Where, following a more detailed inspection mentioned in section 58(3), a ship is found not to conform to the requirements of this Act or other relevant written law, or of the Convention (as the case may be) and —
the conditions on board are clearly hazardous to the safety, health or security of seafarers; or
the non‑conformity constitutes a serious or repeated breach of the requirements (inclusive of seafarers’ rights) of this Act or other relevant written law, or of the Convention, as the case may be,the Director must serve on the shipowner and the master of the ship a notice of detention requiring that the ship must not proceed to sea until any non‑conformity that falls within the scope of paragraph (a) or (b) has been rectified, or until the Director has accepted a plan of action to rectify the non‑conformity and is satisfied that the plan will be implemented in an expeditious manner.
(2)
If the ship, after service of the notice of detention, goes to sea before it is released by the Director, the shipowner and the master shall each be guilty of an offence and shall each be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $50,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to both.
(3)
If it is proved that a ship was unduly detained or delayed under this section, the Authority is liable to pay to the shipowner the shipowner’s costs of and incidental to the detention of the ship, and also compensation for any loss or damage sustained by the shipowner by reason of the detention.