Merchant Shipping Act
(CHAPTER 179, Section 143)
Merchant Shipping (Special Limits Passenger Ships) Safety Regulations
Rg 8
G.N. No. S 355/1981

REVISED EDITION 1990
(25th March 1992)
[23rd April 1982]
PART I
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Citation
1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Merchant Shipping (Special Limits Passenger Ships) Safety Regulations.
Definitions
2.  In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires —
“approved” means approved by the Director;
“Director” means the Director of Marine appointed under section 6 of the Merchant Shipping Act;
“existing ship” means a ship which is not a new ship;
“length”, in relation to a ship, means 96% of the total length on a waterline at 85% of the least moulded depth measured from the top of the keel, or the length from the foreside of the stem to the axis of the rudder stock on that waterline, if that be the greater. In a ship designed with a rake of keel, the waterline on which this length is measured shall be parallel to the designed waterline;
“new ship” means a passenger ship the keel of which is laid or which is at a similar stage of construction on or after 23rd April 1982, and includes a ship which is undergoing or has undergone conversion into a passenger ship or which is used as a passenger ship within the port limit and the 30-mile limit on or after that date;
“passenger” means every person other than —
(a)the master and members of the crew or other persons employed or engaged in any capacity on board a passenger ship on the business of the ship; and
(b)a child under one year of age;
“passenger ship” means a ship which carries more than 12 passengers;
“person” means a person above the age of one year;
“port limit” means the limit of the port declared under section 3 of the Port of Singapore Authority Act [Cap. 236];
“ship” means a passenger ship and includes a new ship or an existing ship.
Application
3.—(1)  Unless otherwise provided, these Regulations shall apply to a ship which plies —
(a)within the port limit; or
(b)not more than 30 miles from the port limit and not more than 20 miles from the nearest land (referred to in these Regulations as the 30-mile limit).
(2)  These Regulations shall not apply to Government vessels which are not used for commercial services.
Prohibition
4.  A ship which is less than 24 metres in length shall not proceed beyond the port limit.
Exemption
5.  The Minister may exempt a ship from any regulation either unconditionally or subject to such conditions as he thinks fit if he is satisfied that compliance with that regulation is either impracticable or unreasonable in respect of the ship.
Standards
6.  Any fitting, material, appliance or apparatus required by these Regulations shall be of an approved type.
[G.N. No. S 355/81]