27.—(1) The master of a vessel who fails to comply with a general direction or special direction shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.
(2) Without prejudice to any other defence, it shall be a defence to a charge made pursuant to paragraph (1) above that the master had reasonable grounds for believing that to comply with the direction in question would have endangered life or imperilled the safety of any vessel or its cargo, or that for another reason such compliance was impracticable.