(1) A foreign ship of at least 24 metres in length shall not be registered under this Act unless the ship is—
(a) customarily engaged in international trade; or
(b) on demise charter which complies with the requirements set out in subsection (2).
(2) The requirements referred to in subsection (1)(b) are that —
(a) the charterer is a person qualified to be an owner of a Saint Lucian ship under section 12;
(b) the demise charter is in writing;
(c) the demise charter is made —
(i) by the owner of the ship or by a charterer with the written consent of the owner of the ship,
(ii) to a charterer who has a single legal personality, and
(iii) for a fixed period of 2 years or more or such lesser period as may be allowed by the Director; and
(d) under the terms of the demise charter the operation, management and control of the ship, including responsibility for the engagement or employment of the master and crew of the ship, is vested in the charterer.
(3) For the avoidance of doubt, any provision under this Act relating to a foreign ship does not apply to a foreign ship registered as a Saint Lucian ship under this section.
(Inserted by Act 14 of 2016)