| (1) | No dangerous goods may be taken on board a ship built after 31 August 1984 unless the ship has on board a document of compliance, issued by the Authority or the competent authority of the country in which the ship is registered or, in the absence of registration, whose flag it is entitled to fly, to the effect that the spaces in which the goods are to be carried comply with the provisions of regulation II-2/41 or 54, as applicable, of the 1974 SOLAS Convention appropriate to the classification of those goods intended for stowage in or on those spaces. |
(2)
| (a) | Whenever dangerous goods are to be loaded at a port in the Republic, the shipowner or master must advise the proper officer at the port of loading of the intention to load dangerous goods and must furnish copies of all dangerous goods declarations relating to the goods to be loaded and a copy of the proposed special list, manifest or stowage plan detailing the location in the ship of any dangerous goods already on board, and to be loaded. |
| (b) | The proper officer, after taking into account the type, quantity and proposed stowage of the dangerous goods, may, but in the case of explosives must, cause the ship to be inspected by a surveyor— |
| (i) | before loading to determine whether— |
| (aa) | the ship is equipped and in all other respects suitable to carry such goods; |
| (bb) | the proposed stowage complies with these regulations; and |
| (ii) | during loading and upon completion of loading to determine whether the goods are being and have been handled and stowed in accordance with these regulations and whether all reasonable and necessary precautions are being and have been taken to ensure the safety of the ship, its crew and other personnel during the voyage, |
and, in both cases, the surveyor must, if he or she is satisfied with the arrangements, issue the master with a certificate of inspection.
| (3) | If the shipowner or master fails to comply with this regulation he or she is guilty of an offence. |
