Merchant Shipping Act, 1951 (Act No. 57 of 1951)RegulationsMerchant Shipping (National Small Vessel Safety) Regulations, 2007Part 2 : Vessel safety requirements6. Design and construction of vessels |
| (1) |
| (a) | Every vessel must be constructed of suitable materials of good quality, with due regard to sound design practice and methods of construction and under normal operating conditions the design must provide sufficient reserve of positive stability so that the vessel cannot capsize easily when carrying a load. |
| (b) | On decked vessels no point of possible ingress of water, except scuppers, may be less than 200 millimetres above the surface of the water, measured when the vessel is afloat in an undamaged condition in calm water. |
| (c) | The design and construction of a vessel must, in addition, comply with the requirements of Annexure 1. |
| (2) | This regulation does not apply to vessels mentioned in regulation 37(3). |
[Regulation 6(2) substituted by regulation 9 of Notice No. R. 731 dated 11 July 2008]
| (3) | It is an offence to sell a vessel that does not comply with the construction requirements of these regulations except where accompanied by a letter or certificate detailing the extent to which the vessel does not or cannot comply. |
[Regulation 6(3) substituted by regulation 9 of Notice No. r. 731 dated 11 July 2008]