Merchant Shipping Act 1970

Offences by seamen, etc.

27 Misconduct endangering ship or persons on board ship

(1) If the master or any member of the crew of a ship registered in the United Kingdom—

(a) does any act which causes or is likely to cause the loss or destruction of or serious damage to the ship or the death of or serious injury to a person on board the ship; or

(b) omits to do anything required to preserve the ship from loss, destruction or serious damage or to preserve any person on board the ship from death or serious injury;

and the act or omission is deliberate, or amounts to a breach or neglect of duty, or he is under the influence of drink or a drug at the time of the act or omission, he shall be liable, on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to a fine, and, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding £200.

(2) In this section " breach or neglect of duty ", except in relation to a master, includes any disobedience to a lawful command.

28 Drunkenness, etc. on duty

If a seaman employed in a ship registered in the United Kingdom is, while on duty, under the influence of drink or a drug to such an extent that his capacity to carry out his duties is impaired, he shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £50.

29 Wilful disobedience to certain lawful commands

If a seaman employed in a ship registered in the United Kingdom wilfully disobeys a lawful command relating to or likely to affect the operation of the ship or its equipment he shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £50.

30 Continued or concerted disobedience, neglect of duty, etc.

If a seaman employed in a ship registered in the United Kingdom—

(a) persistently and wilfully neglects his duty ; or

(b) persistently and wilfully disobeys lawful commands ; or

(c) combines with other seamen employed in that ship to disobey lawful commands or to neglect duty or to impede the navigation of the ship or the progress of a voyage;

he shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £100.

31 Absence without leave at time of sailing

If a seaman employed in a ship registered in the United Kingdom is absent without leave and the ship is thereby delayed or goes to sea without him, then if he is so absent deliberately and without reasonable cause or his absence is due to recklessness, he shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £100.

32 Offences committed by certain other persons

Where a person goes to sea in a ship without the consent of the master or of any other person authorised to give it or is conveyed in a ship in pursuance of section 62(5)(b) of this Act, sections 27, 29, 30(b) and 30(c) of this Act shall apply as if he were a seaman employed in the ship.