National Maritime Board (Amendment) Bill

Bill No. 5/1977

Read the first time on 27th May 1977.
An Act to amend the National Maritime Board Act, 1972 (No. 21 of 1972) and to make consequential amendments to the Merchant Shipping Act (Chapter 172 of the Revised Edition).
Be it enacted by the President with the advice and consent of the Parliament of Singapore, as follows: —
Short title and commencement
1.  This Act may be cited as the National Maritime Board (Amendment) Act, 1977, and shall come into operation on such date as the Minister may, by notification in the Gazette, appoint.
Repeal and re-enactment of section 27
2.  Section 27 of the National Maritime Board Act, 1972 (hereinafter in this Act referred to as “the principal Act”) is hereby repealed and the following substituted therefor: —
Maritime Welfare Fee
27.—(1)  In this section “vessel” has the same meaning as in the Merchant Shipping Act (Cap. 172).
(2)  The owner, master or agent of every vessel which calls at the port of Singapore shall pay to the Board or any person authorised by the Board a Maritime Welfare Fee (hereinafter in this section referred to as the “fee”) according to the scale set out in the Schedule.
(3)  This section shall not apply to —
(a)any ship of war;
(b)any ship belonging to or for the time being in the service or employment of the Government unless such vessel is carrying or habitually carries cargo or passengers for freight or fares; and
(c)any ship or class of ships which has or have been exempted from the operation of this section by the Minister.
(4)  The Board may, from time to time, with the approval of the Minister by notification in the Gazette amend the Schedule.
(5)  A receipt for the fee shall be given to every person paying the fee, and every vessel in respect of which such receipt is not produced when demanded by an officer duly authorised by the Board in that behalf may be detained until such receipt is produced.
(6)  All fees received by the Board shall be paid into the National Maritime Fund.”.
Amendment of Merchant Shipping Act
3.  The Merchant Shipping Act (Cap. 172) is hereby amended by repealing section 347 thereof and Schedule E thereto.
New Schedule
4.  The principal Act is hereby amended by inserting immediately at the end thereof the following new Schedule: —
THE SCHEDULE
Section 27(2).
Gross registered tonnage of vessel.
 
Fee payable per call per vessel.
 
 
$
(a)Exceeding 75 tonnes but not exceeding 1,000 tonnes
 
15.00
(b)Exceeding 1,000 tonnes but not exceeding 2,000 tonnes
 
25.00
(c)Exceeding 2,000 tonnes but not exceeding 5,000 tonnes
 
35.00
(d)Exceeding 5,000 tonnes but not exceeding 10,000 tonnes
 
45.00
(e)Exceeding 10,000 tonnes but not exceeding 40,000 tonnes
 
80.00
(f)Exceeding 40,000 tonnes
 
100.00
In the case of a vessel with dual tonnages or a vessel with an open or closed shelter deck, the higher tonnage shall be deemed to be the gross registered tonnage of the vessel.
Concessions.
The owner, master or agent of any vessel ranging from 75 to 1,000 gross registered tonnes may opt to pay the Maritime Welfare Fee annually in advance, which shall be equivalent to twelve times the fee payable by the vessel. No refund shall be made of any fee paid annually.
2.  Any vessel calling at Singapore for bunkering or ship’s supplies or both (without a change of crew) shall be granted a ten per cent reduction of the fee payable to be rounded up to the nearest dollar.”.