(1)Where any dangerous goods have been sent or carried, or attempted to be sent or carried, on board any ship, whether or not a United Kingdom ship—
(a)without being marked as required by safety regulations,
(b)without such notice having been given as is required by safety regulations,
(c)under a false description, or
(d)with a false description of their sender or carrier,
any court having Admiralty jurisdiction may declare the goods, and any package or receptacle in which they are contained, to be forfeited.
(2)On a declaration of forfeiture being made, the goods shall be forfeited and they shall be disposed of as the court directs.
(3)The powers conferred on the court by subsections (1) and (2) above are exercisable notwithstanding that the owner of the goods—
(a)has not committed any offence under safety regulations relating to dangerous goods;
(b)is not before the court; and
(c)has no notice of the proceedings;
and notwithstanding that there is no evidence to show to whom the goods belong.
(4)Nevertheless, the court may, in their discretion, require such notice as they may direct to be given to the owner or shipper of the goods before they are forfeited.
(5)In this section “dangerous goods” means goods designated as dangerous goods by safety regulations.