MERCHANT SHIPPING ACT 1970 s.27
NOTES.

Merchant Shipping Act 1970, s.27 is entitled "Conduct endangering ships, structures or individuals"


Seamen are exempted from TULRCA s.240, which makes it a criminal offence to do or not do something in breach of an employment contract if danger to life or property would result (see CRIMINAL LAW ASPECTS/offences under employment legislation/breach of service contract causing damage ).

The Merchant Shipping Act 1970, s.27 (substituted by Merchant Shipping Act 1988, s.32) makes similar provision in respect of seamen, but with tougher maximum sentences.

Under Merchant Shipping Act s.27 sentence can be up to two years in prison plus a fine with no statutory limit. This applies if the conviction is on indictment but if it is a summary conviction in the Magistrates Court the maximum is less (a fine up to the maximum which a Magistrates Court can levy, currently £5,000 - see Criminal Justice Act 1991, s.17(2)(c)).

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