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THE DANGEROUS CARGOES ACT, 1953

THE DANGEROUS CARGOES ACT, 1953

/ Laws of Pakistan - Library / By

THE DANGEROUS CARGOES ACT, 1953

 

Welcome to the 24Justice page discussing the Dangerous Cargoes Act, 1953. In this section, we will provide you with an overview of this significant piece of legislation in Pakistan. The Dangerous Cargoes Act, 1953, addresses the regulation and safety measures associated with the transportation and handling of hazardous materials and dangerous cargoes.

  1. Short title, extent and commencement.
  2. Definitions.
  3. Measures for the safety of ports.
  4. Power to make rules.
  5. Declaration of emergency.
  6. Powers of the chief of the Naval Staff.
  7. Delegation of powers by Chief of the Naval Staff.
  8. Powers of Deputy Conservator of a port.

8 A. Technical Adviser Dangerous Cargoes.

  1. Contravention of this Act.
  2. Power to arrest without warrant.
  3. Saving as to order.
  4. Protection of action taken under this act.

Page 1 of 8

THE DANGEROUS CARGOES ACT, 1953

1ACT NO. V OF 1953

[15

th April, 1953]

An Act 2

[to make further provision for] the safety of ports in respect of the transit, working

and storage of dangerous cargoes and matters incidental thereto.

WHEREAS it is expedient 2

[ to make further provision for] the safety of ports in respect of the

transit, working and storage of dangerous cargoes and matters incidental thereto ;

It is hereby enacted as follows :___

  1. Short title, extent and commencement.___

(1) This Act may be called the Dangerous Cargoes

Act, 1953.

(2) It extends to the whole of Pakistan.

(3) It shall come into force at once.

3

[2. Definitions. In this Act,___

(1) “dangerous cargoes” means any cargoes containing

____

(a) any goods shown as explosives in the Comprehensive Classified List of Government

Explosives compiled and issued by the Explosive

4

[Storage] and Transport Committee

which has been accepted and approved by the

5

[Federal Government] or any

ammunition; or

1 For Statement of Object and Reasons, see Gaz. of P., 1953, Pt. IX, p. 4.

2 Subs. by the Dangerous Cargoes (Amdt.) Act, 1954 (13 of 1954), s. 2, for “to provide for special powers relating to”.

3 Subs. by the Dangerous Cargoes (Amdt.) Act, 1954 (13 of 1954), s. 3, for the original section 2.

4 Subs. by the Dangerous Cargoes (Amdt.) Act, 1974 (43 of 1974), s. 2, for “storage”.

5 Subs. ibid., s. 7, for “Central Government”.

Page 2 of 8

(b) petroleum, as defined in clause (a) of section 2 of the Petroleum Act, 1934, when the

flashing point of such petroleum is below one hundred and fifty degrees Fahrenheit ;

1

[(c) prohibited dangerous goods, that is to say, goods classified as dangerous in the

International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code or the Government Stowage Instructions

as revised from time to time by the Federal Government ; or]

(d) any cargoes which are liable to fire or explosion and which are declared by the

2

[Federal

Government] by notification

3

in the official Gazette to be dangerous cargoes for the

purposes of this Act.

(2) “Fortress Commander” means an officer of the armed forces appointed as such by the

2

[Federal Government] by a notification in the official Gazette.]

  1. Measures for the safety of ports. The

2

[Federal Government] may make such orders as

appear to it to be necessary or expedient for securing the safety of any port and preventing or dealing

with explosions and fires on vessels carrying dangerous cargoes within the limits of any port, and

generally for the transit working and storage of dangerous cargoes and matters incidental thereto.

  1. Power to make Rules. ____

(1) The

2

[Federal Government] may by notification in the official

Gazette, make such rules as appear to it to be necessary or expedient for carrying the purposes of this

Act into effect.

1 Subs. by the Dangerous Cargoes (Amdt.) Act, 1974 (43 of 1974), s. 2.

2 Subs. ibid., s. 7, for “Central Government”.

3 For such notifies, see Gaz. of Pak. 1955 Ext. pp. 1353

___1375.

Page 3 of 8

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power such rules may provide for all or

any of the following, namely :___

(a) the constitution, mobilization, enrolment, discipline, equipment,, duties, privileges, and

protection of fire‑brigades and fire services in or near any port ;

(b) the powers to be conferred and duties to be imposed on any officer or authority for the

purposes of this Act ;

(c) the mobilization and control of any Government, State or Municipal service, or private

organization, by the Fortress Commander in the event of the declaration of an emergency

or apprehended emergency due to fire or explosion.

  1. Declaration of emergency. The existence of an emergency or apprehended emergency

1

[due

to fire or explosion] shall be declared by the Fortress Commander on the advice of the

2

[Chief of the

Naval Staff].

  1. Powers of the

3

[Chief of the Naval Staff].___Without prejudice to any other powers which

may be conferred on him under this Act, the

3

[Chief of the Naval Staff] may

___

(a) issue orders requiring measures to be taken for the safety or vessels in a port and against

or in respect of fire ;

(b) issue orders to the owner or master of any vessel in port requiring him,___

(i) to take such steps as may be mentioned in the order for the detection and combating

of fire ;

1

Ins. by the Dangerous Cargoes (Amdt.) 1954, (13 of 1954), s. 4.

2 The original words “Commander­in­Chief of the Royal Pakistan Navy”. Which were previously amended by the A.O. 1961 Art. 2 and Sch. has been subs. by the Dangerous

Cargoes (Amdt.) Act, 1974 (43 of 1974), s. 3. to read as above.

3 Subs. ibid., s. 4.

Page 4 of 8

(ii) to do, or to refrain from doing, such things as may be mentioned in the order in order

to secure the safety of the vessel or prevent it from endangering other vessels or

property ;

(iii) to scuttle or beach the vessel in such position as may be specified in the order if the

vessel is on fire or has suffered damage by fire or otherwise and constitutes, in the

opinion of the

1

[Chief of the Naval Staff], a danger to other vessels or obstructs the

proper working of the port ;

(c) issue orders requiring any work to be done on any land, or anything to be placed in, on or

over any land, within the limits of a port, and such work may include the demolition or

the rendering useless of anything placed in, on or over such land and the removal from

such land of anything so demolished or rendered useless.

  1. Delegation of powers by

2

[Chief of the Naval Staff]. The

2

[Chief of the Naval Staff] may, by

notification in the official Gazette, delegate any power conferred on him by or under this Act to any

officer subordinate to him and references in the Act to the said

2

[Chief of the Naval Staff] shall

include references to his delegate : provided that in time of peace such power shall be delegated only

to the

3

[Commodore‑in‑Charge or Flag officer commanding, Karachi, as the case may be] and in time

of war to the

3

[officer of the Pakistan Navy, howsoever designated, who is for the time being

incharge] of the port.

1 Subs. by the Dangerous Cargoes (Amdt.) Act, 1974 (43 of 1974), s. 3, for “Commander­in­Chief”.

2 The original words “Commander­in­Chief of the Royal Pakistan Navy” were previously amended by A.O., 1961, Art. 2 and Sch., have been subs. by Act 43 of 1974 s. 5, to read as

above.

3 Subs. by Act 43 of 1974, s. 5 for certain words.

Page 5 of 8

  1. Powers of Deputy Conservator of a port. Without prejudice to any powers conferred upon

him under this Act or by or under any law for the time being in force the Deputy Conservator of a

port shall have power to order the master of any vessel in port 1

[other than a tanker]___

(a) to place at his disposal such proportion, not exceeding three quarters, of the crew of the

vessel as the Deputy Conservator requires for the purpose of preventing or extinguishing

an outbreak of fire in the port ;

(b) to take such steps as he may direct to extinguish any fire in his vessel.

In this section “Deputy Conservator” means the person who is for the time being discharging the

duties of Deputy Conservator of the port.

2

[8A. Technical Adviser Dangerous Cargoes. ____

(1) The Federal Government may appoint a

Technical Adviser Dangerous Cargoes on such terms and conditions as it may determine.

(2) The Technical Adviser Dangerous Cargoes shall, besides advising the Federal Government on

matters relating to safety and security of any port, prevention of, and dealing with, explosions and

fires on vessels carrying dangerous cargoes within the limits of any port and the transit, working and

storage of dangerous cargoes, exercise such powers and perform such functions as may be assigned to

him by the Federal Government.]

  1. Contravention of this Act.___

(1) Any contravention of or attempt to contravene, and any

abetment of or attempt to abet the contravention of any provision of this Act, or the rules made

thereunder or any order under this Act

1

Ins. by the Dangerous Cargoes (Amdt.) Act, 1954 (13 of 1954), s. 5.

2

Ins. by the Dangerous Cargoes (Amdt.) Act, 1974 (43 of 1974), s. 6.

Page 6 of 8

or the rules shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years or with

fine which may extend to five thousand rupees or with both.

(2) For the purposes of this section failure to obey the provisions of any rule or order under this

Act shall be construed as a contravention of the rule or order.

  1. Power to arrest without warrant. The police may arrest without warrant any person

committing an offence under this Act.

  1. Saving as to order.___

(1) No order made in exercise of any power conferred by or under this

Act shall be called to question by any court.

(2) When an order purports to have been made and signed by any officer or any authority in

exercise of any power conferred by or under this Act the court shall, within the meaning of the

Evidence Act, 1872 (I of 1872), presume that such order was so made by that officer or authority.

  1. Protection of action taken under this Act.___

(1) No suit, prosecution or other legal

proceeding shall lie against any person for anything which is in good faith done or intended to be

done in pursuance of this Act or any rules made thereunder or any order issued under this Act or the

rules.

(2) Save as otherwise expressly provided under this Act no suit or other legal proceeding shall lie

against the

1

[Government] for any damage caused or likely to be caused by anything in good faith

done or intended to be done in pursuance of this Act or any rule made thereunder or any order issued

under this Act or the rules.

_____

1 Subs. by A.O., 1961, Art. 2, for “Crown” (with ef ect from the 23

rd March, 1956).

 

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