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Harbour Lights Act

LAWS OF THE REPUBLIC OF VANUATU
CONSOLIDATED EDITION 2006

Commencement: 1 September 1914

CHAPTER 2
HARBOUR LIGHTS

JR 5 of 1914
JR 8 of 1914

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

1. Vessels to carry lights at night
2. Vessels to bear name or mark
3. Mooring of vessels at gangways and wharves
4. Boats at large
5. Reports of infractions
6. Penalties
7. Persons guilty of infractions
8. Conviction of infraction no bar to action for damages

HARBOUR LIGHTS

To provide for the lighting of vessels in Port Vila harbour.

1. Vessels to carry lights at night

(1) All vessels in movement or at anchor in Port Vila harbour shall carry sidelights or a riding light between sunset and sunrise as hereinafter provided.

(2) All motor launches, lighters, punts, barges and boats lying in Port Vila harbour which have not been hauled up on the beach shall during the period aforesaid carry a white light placed in the bows thereof, provided that in vessels having one or more masts the light shall be suspended from such mast or from the foremast when more than one at a height of not less than 15 feet from the deck or if the mast is not of sufficient height from the top of such mast.

2. Vessels to bear name or mark

All vessels specified in section 1(2) which bear no name or distinctive mark shall have a name or mark painted clearly in black letters of at least 3 inches in length on a white ground and such name or mark shall be previously notified to the Director of Ports and Harbour.

3. Mooring of vessels at gangways and wharves

That part of Port Vila harbour that lies to the south of a line drawn from the southern wharf of Ballande Vanuatu to the wharf of the Iririki Island Resort on the island of Iririki shall not be considered as included in Port Vila harbour for the purposes of this Act.

4. Boats at large

Every boat or vessel not being moored or anchored in the proximity of a mail steamer or trading vessel shall be in the charge of at least one person.

5. Reports of infractions

Infractions of this Act shall be reported by any officer of police by the officers of the vessels lying in the harbour and by the health officers of the port and the report of such infraction shall be forwarded to the Public Prosecutor.

6. Penalties

Persons charged with infractions of this Act shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding VT10, 000 or to imprisonment not exceeding 6 days or to both.

7. Persons guilty of infractions

The following persons shall be considered as guilty of infractions of this Act –

(a) in respect of foreign-going ships or coasters the master or the officer on duty at the time of the infraction;

(b) in respect of motor launches, lighters, punts, barges, boats and other craft not carrying a regular crew the owner or in the case of the craft having been on hire the person so hiring and the one in charge at the time of the infraction.

8. Conviction of infraction no bar to action for damages

The penalties prescribed in section 6 may be adjudged without prejudice to any claim for damages that may arise out of any infraction of this Act and may be pursued before the competent court.