Merchant Shipping Act, 1951 (Act No. 57 of 1951)

The intended voyage shall be planned in advance, taking into account all pertinent information, and any course laid down shall be checked before the voyage begins. The chief engineer officer shall, in consultation with the master, determine in advance the needs of the intended voyage, taking into account the requirements for fuel, water, lubricants, chemicals, expendable and other spare parts, tools, supplies and any other requirements.

Before each voyage, the master of every ship shall ensure that the intended route from the port of departure to the first port of call is planned using adequate and appropriate charts and other nautical publications necessary for the intended voyage, containing accurate, complete and up-to-date information regarding those navigational limitations and hazards that are of a permanent or predictable nature and that are relevant to the safe navigation of the ship.

When the route planning is verified taking into account all pertinent information, the planned route shall be clearly displayed on appropriate charts and shall be continuously available to the officer in charge of the watch, who shall verify each course to be followed before using it during the voyage.

If a decision is made, during a voyage, to change the next port of call of the planned route, or if it is necessary for the ship to deviate substantially from the planned route for other reasons, then an amended route shall be planned before deviating substantially from the route originally planned.