# Merchant Shipping (Safety And Load Line Conventions) Act 1932, Paragraph 2.Cargo Ships

Extent: E+W+S+N.I.

Each cargo ship which, in accordance with Article 27, is required to be fitted with a radiotelegraph installation, shall, for safety purposes, carry a qualified operator, and, if not fitted with an auto-alarm, shall, whilst at sea, keep watches by means of a qualified operator or a certified watcher, as under:—
(a) All cargo ships under 3,000 tons gross tonnage, as determined by the Administration concerned:
(b) Cargo ships from 3,000 to 5,500 tons gross tonnage, both included, at least 8 hours’ watch per day:
(c) Cargo ships over 5,500 tons gross tonnage, continuous watch.
Each Administration is authorised to exempt ships belonging to its country included in (c) above from the requirement of a continuous watch for a period not exceeding one year from the date of the coming into force of the present Convention, provided that during the period of such exemption they shall maintain a watch of at least 8 hours per day.
Each Administration is also authorised to exempt ships belonging to its country from 5,500 tons to 8,000 tons gross tonnage from the requirement of a continuous watch for a further period of one year, provided that during this further period of exemption they shall maintain a watch of at least 16 hours per day.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Geo5/22-23/9/schedule/FIRST/paragraph/2.CargoShips. (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/merchant-shipping-safety-and-load-line-conventions-act-1932/schedule-FIRST/paragraph-2.CargoShips.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.