(1) Where a Saint Lucian ship is not in a port of Saint Lucia on the date of expiry of any certificate issued to that ship under this Act, the Minister, or any person as the Minister may authorise for the purpose, may extend the validity of that certificate in the first instance by a period not exceeding one month from its initial date of expiry up to a maximum of 3 months in the aggregate.
(2) The extension referred to in subsection (1) shall be granted only for the purpose of enabling the ship to proceed to a Saint Lucian port or a port where the ship is to be surveyed for the purpose of renewal of such certificate, and then only where it appears proper and reasonable to grant the extension.