Part ISafety and Load Lines

1 Plimsoll Mark and Overloading

(1)Every British ship registered under this Act shall be marked on each side with a deck line and load line disc indicating the maximum depth to which the ship may be loaded.

(2)If any ship is loaded so as to submerge in salt water the centre of the disc, the master or owner shall be liable to a fine not exceeding £100.

2 Life-Saving Appliances

Every ship shall carry an adequate number of lifeboats, life-jackets, and buoyant apparatus sufficient to accommodate every person on board.

Part IIDiscipline of Seamen

3 Desertion from Ship

If a seaman lawfully engaged to serve on any ship deserts his ship, he shall be guilty of the offence of desertion and liable to forfeit all wages earned and to imprisonment for a term not exceeding twelve weeks.

Part IIIGeneral

4 Citation

This Act may be cited as the Merchant Shipping Act.