### Merchant Shipping (Safety) (Gas Carriers) Regulations 《商船(安全)(氣體運輸船)規例》

7A. Duration of International Certificate of Fitness—general
Subject to regulations 7(2), 7B, 7C and 7D, an International Certificate of Fitness issued in respect of a ship is valid for the period not exceeding 5 years as specified by the issuing authority in the certificate.
(L.N. 74 of 2018)

7B. Duration of International Certificate of Fitness issued after renewal surveys
An International Certificate of Fitness issued in respect of a ship as a result of the completion of a renewal survey required under regulation 5(1)(b) is valid for the period specified by the issuing authority in the certificate in accordance with—
(a) for a 1983 ship—Paragraph 1.5.6 of the 1983 IGC Code;
(b) for a 1993 ship—Paragraph 1.5.6 of the 1993 IGC Code; or
(c) for a 2014 ship—Paragraph 1.4.6 of the 2014 IGC Code.
(L.N. 74 of 2018)

7C. Duration of International Certificate of Fitness after early completion of surveys
(1) This regulation applies if—
(a) an intermediate survey of a ship is completed before the period within which the survey is required to be completed under regulation 5(1)(c); or
(b) an annual survey of a ship is completed before the period within which the survey is required to be completed under regulation 5(1)(d).
(2) After a survey of a ship is completed as described in subregulation (1), the existing International Certificate of Fitness issued in respect of the ship must be endorsed to show a date described on the endorsement as the “new anniversary date” (new anniversary date

### Merchant Shipping (Safety) (Gas Carriers) Regulations 《商船(安全)(氣體運輸船)規例》

7D. Extension of validity period of International Certificate of Fitness in certain circumstances
(1) The Director may, or with the Director’s consent an organization approved under section 8 of the Ordinance may, extend the validity period of an existing International Certificate of Fitness issued in respect of a ship if—
(a) the certificate is valid for a period of less than 5 years;
(b) a new International Certificate of Fitness cannot be issued or placed on board the ship before the expiry of the certificate;
(c) the ship is not in the port in which it is to be surveyed when the certificate expires; or
(d) the ship is engaged in short voyages.
(2) An extension under subregulation (1) is to be granted in accordance with—
(a) for a 1983 ship—Paragraph 1.5.6 of the 1983 IGC Code;
(b) for a 1993 ship—Paragraph 1.5.6 of the 1993 IGC Code; or
(c) for a 2014 ship—Paragraph 1.4.6 of the 2014 IGC Code.
(L.N. 74 of 2018)

8. Fees
Fees shall be payable in respect of surveys and other services provided by a Government surveyor under these regulations and shall be determined as prescribed by the Merchant Shipping (Fees) Regulations (Cap. 281 sub. leg. F) and, as respects the time involved, by reference to the hourly rate calculated in accordance with those regulations.
(L.N. 74 of 2018)

### Merchant Shipping (Safety) (Gas Carriers) Regulations 《商船(安全)(氣體運輸船)規例》

9. Maintenance of condition after survey
(1) The condition of the ship and its equipment shall be maintained so as to ensure that— (L.N. 420 of 1996; L.N. 74 of 2018)
(a) the requirements of the applicable IGC Code are complied with; and
(b) the ship remains fit to proceed to sea without—
(i) posing any danger to the ship or persons on board; or
(ii) presenting any unreasonable threat of harm to the marine environment.
(2) After any survey of the ship under regulation 5 has been completed, no change shall be made in the structure, equipment, fittings, arrangements and materials covered by the survey, without the sanction of the Director, except by direct replacement.
(3) If a reportable incident within the meaning of subregulation (4) happens to a ship, the master or owner of the ship shall report at the earliest opportunity to the Director, who shall determine whether an additional survey is necessary and if the ship is in a port of another State, the master or owner shall also report immediately to the appropriate authority of the government of the State in which the port is situated.
(4) In subregulation (3)—

reportable incident (須報告事故) means the occurrence of an accident that affects the following matter or the discovery of a defect in a ship that affects the following matter—
(a) the safety of the ship or persons on board;
(b) the efficiency or completeness of the ship’s lifesaving appliances or other equipment required by the applicable IGC Code. (L.N. 74 of 2018)

(L.N. 74 of 2018)

10. Equivalents
Where the applicable IGC Code requires that a particular fitting, material, appliance, apparatus, item of equipment or type thereof should be fitted or carried in a ship, or that any particular provision should be made, or any procedure or arrangement should be complied with, the Director may allow any other fitting, material, appliance, apparatus, item of equipment or type thereof to be fitted or carried, or any other provision, procedure or arrangement to be made in that ship, if he is satisfied by trial thereof or otherwise that such fitting, material, appliance, apparatus, item of equipment or type thereof, or that any particular provision, procedure or arrangement is at least as effective as that required by the applicable IGC Code.
(L.N. 420 of 1996; L.N. 74 of 2018)

### Merchant Shipping (Safety) (Gas Carriers) Regulations 《商船(安全)(氣體運輸船)規例》

11. Exemptions
The Director may on such terms (if any) as he may specify grant exemptions from—
(a) all or any of the provisions of these regulations for any gas carrier referred to in regulation 3(1)(c) or any class of such gas carrier;
(b) all or any of the provisions of regulation 4 for any ship or any class of ship.

12. Loading and carriage in bulk of dangerous substances
A ship must not load in bulk or carry in bulk any of the substances listed in Chapter 19 of the applicable IGC Code unless— (L.N. 74 of 2018)
(a) there is in force in respect of that ship a valid International Certificate of Fitness covering the substance; or (L.N. 74 of 2018)
(b) the Director has given specific approval to its carriage.
(L.N. 420 of 1996)

13. Penalties
(1) If regulation 4, 5(1), 9 or 12 is contravened in relation to a ship, the owner and master of the ship each commits an offence and is liable to a fine at level 3. (L.N. 74 of 2018)
(2) Where there is a contravention of regulation 5(2) the owner of the ship concerned commits an offence and is liable to a fine of $10,000.
(2A) If regulation 7(3) or (5) is contravened in relation to a ship, the owner and master of the ship each commits an offence and is liable to a fine at level 2. (L.N. 74 of 2018)
(3) It shall be a defence for a person charged with an offence under these regulations to prove that he took all reasonable steps to ensure that the regulations were complied with.