Merchant Shipping (Medical Stores) Regulations

Every foreign-going ship shall keep on board a supply of medicines and medical stores according to Scale IA set out in the First Schedule provided that the number of persons on board does not exceed 30.

When more than 30 persons are carried, then in addition to the items required under Scale IA, a set each of items listed in Scale IB set out in the First Schedule must be carried for each additional 30 persons or part thereof.

Every ship going to sea carrying more than 12 passengers but without a qualified doctor as a member of the crew shall carry, in addition to the medicines and medical stores specified in the main Scale which the vessel is required to carry under regulation 4, 5 or 6, those specified in Scale V in Part 5 of the First Schedule.

All medicines required to be carried under Scale V in Part 5 of the First Schedule shall be kept in a doctor’s attache case.

Any item which cannot be included in the case should, where possible, be strapped to it; otherwise, the item shall be kept in a place adjacent to the case.

The doctor’s attache case shall be locked, the key to the case kept in the possession of the master or someone nominated by him, and the case kept in a locked cabinet.

The case should be labelled clearly as follows: “The medicines in this case are to be used only by a qualified doctor, or someone under the direct supervision of a doctor on board the ship.”.

Any ship carrying a chemical as whole or part of her cargo, or any residues of chemicals from earlier voyages shall carry the medicines and medical stores set out in Scale IV of the First Schedule in the quantities specified thereof.

In addition to the types and quantities of medicines and medical stores required to be carried under paragraph (1), the ship shall also carry the required type of medicines and medical stores specified in the Second Schedule as antidote and ancilliary equipment for the chemical and the required additional quantity of such antidote and ancilliary equipment shall be that specified in the Chemicals Supplement to the Ship Captain’s Medical Guide or the IMO Medical First Aid Guide.

Without prejudice to any other written law, any container of medicines or other medical stores required by these Regulations to be kept on board a ship —

Any label referred to in paragraph (1)(a) shall either be firmly affixed to the container and rendered resistant to moisture by varnish or other effective means or be an integral part of the container.

The particulars required by paragraph (1)(a) to be shown on labels are —

Any medicine or medical store shall be stored in accordance with the instructions on its container.

Any medicine shall, where applicable, be stored in accordance with the requirements for controlled drugs contained in the Ship Captain’s Medical Guide, and subject thereto, unless it is required to be kept in a refrigerator or in a first-aid satchel or box, shall be stored —

Where —

Medicines or medicinal stores which have passed the expiry date shall, once replacements have been obtained, or after 3 months, whichever is the earlier, be disposed of in accordance with the Ship Captain’s Medical Guide.

If any provision of these Regulations is contravened, the owner of the ship shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $2,000.

It shall be a defence for any person charged in connection with a contravention of any provision of these Regulations to show that the deficiency was caused by medicines and medical stores being used for their proper purpose and that it has not been reasonably practicable to replace them.

It shall be a defence for a person charged under these Regulations to show that he took all reasonable precautions and exercised all due diligence to avoid commission of the offence.