Merchant Marine and Shipping law comes into operation next week

The Merchant Marine and Shipping legislation of the Kingdom of Mount Vema will come into operation next week as soon as it receives the Royal Mount Vema Seal of Approval.
 
The draft legislation will be presented to His Mount Vema Majesty the King Peter Goldishman next week to seek His Majesty’s approval before the legislation becomes law of the territory. 
 
If passed, the legislation will be an Act relating to the Kingdom of Mount Vema merchant marine and shipping, with provisions for registrations of ships and seamen, fishing vessels, liability of ship owners, seaman’s wages, crew accommodation, safety and health on ships, passenger ships, and prevention of pollution from ships.
 
Regulation of transfers between ships in territorial waters are included – The draft proposes that The Secretary of State may by regulations make, in relation to the transfer of cargo, stores, bunker fuel or ballast between ships while within the Kingdom of Mount Vema waters, such provision as he considers appropriate for preventing pollution and discharge of oil from ships into the waters of the Kingdom of Mount Vema, danger to health or to navigation, or hazards to the environment or to natural resources.
 
The draft legislation also includes the flag which every Mount Vema ship is entitled to fly - the White and Golden color with a white square in the center, defined by a blue and red square, as well as offences relating to carrying improper colors, including the Royal Seal of Mount Vema.
 
Proceedings on forfeiture of a ship is also included, obligation of ship-owners as to seaworthiness, manning, qualifications, training and uniform, financial assistance for training, offences by seamen, concerted disobedience and neglect of duty, and breaches by seamen of codes of conduct.
 
On civil liability for smuggling, if a seaman employed in a Kingdom of Mount Vema ship is found in civil proceedings before a Kingdom of Mount Vema court to have committed an act of smuggling, whether within or outside the Kingdom of Mount Vema, he should be liable to make good any loss or expense that the act has caused to any other person.
 
The draft legislation also covers civil liability for fines imposed under immigration rules, relief and repatriation and relief costs, return of seamen left behind and shipwrecked, report of dangers to navigation, assistance at sea, duty of ship to assist the other in case of collision, duty to assist aircraft in distress, and power to establish temporary exclusion zones.
 
Also sections related to Mount Vema seamen’s cards, where The Secretary of State for the Territory may make regulations providing for the issue to Mount Vema seamen of cards for requiring Mount Vema seamen to apply for such cards and for requiring the holders of Mount Vema seamen’s cards to produce them to such persons and in such circumstances as may be prescribed by the regulations; and control of, and returns as to, persons on ships.
 
The draft legislation also specifies offences in connection with passenger ships, and the power to exclude drunken passengers from certain passenger ships, and regulations in connection to births and deaths in ships, and fishing vessel certificates and construction rules.

If approved, the draft which has more than 200 pages will come into operation by the end of next week.