Merchant Shipping (Safety and Load Line Conventions) Act 1932

1 Passenger Ships.

Each passenger ship which, in accordance with Article 27, is required to be fitted with a radiotelegraph installation, shall, for safety purposes, carry a qualified operator, and, if not fitted with an auto-alarm, shall, whilst at sea, keep watches by means of a qualified operator or a certified watcher, as under :—

(a) All passenger ships under 3,000 tons gross tonnage, as determined by the Administration concerned:

(b) All passenger ships of 3,000 tons gross tonnage and over, continuous watch.

Each Administration is authorised to exempt passenger ships belonging to its country from 3,000 tons to 5,500 tons gross tonnage, both included, from the requirement of a continuous watch for a period not exceeding one year from the date of the coming into force of the present Convention, provided that during the period of such exemption they shall maintain a watch of at least 8 hours per day.