Clause 209

Where under this Act a ship is to be or may be detained, the Director, the Port Master, a surveyor of ships, a police officer not below the rank of inspector or a commissioned officer on full pay in the Singapore Armed Forces may detain the ship if it is in Singapore, and the ship may be detained until it complies with the provisions which it contravened.

If the ship, after detention, or after service on the master of the ship of any notice of or order for detention, goes to sea before it is released by the competent authority, the owner and the master of the ship, and also any person who is party or privy to the offence, shall each be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $50,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to both.

Any person authorised under this section to detain a ship may, if he thinks it necessary to do so, place a police guard on board.

Any police guard so placed on board a ship may take such steps as are necessary to prevent the ship from going to sea.