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British-controlled shipping on other registries. Shipping could
also be chartered, and some shipping of ΝΑΤΟ allies would be
available. This would be the position at the outbreak of war too,
but then the DSA and the NATO pool would come into effect, and all
ocean-going shipping above 1600 grt other than that exceptionally
excluded (paragraph 5 of the annex) would be committed to the pool.
The ships in the pool would initially be allocated back to donating
states, but as shortages developed SO allocation between Allies
would occur.
Priorities would be determined at the time.
Crews
26 The prerogative power to requisition probably no longer extends
to the direction of crews,
crews, but it is likely that emergency powers
(paragraph 17) would extend to UK seafarers including their crewing
of requisitioned foreign-registered vessels. Ships in the NATO pool
would be expected to keep their crews when allocated from one NSA to
another however, and there would be no attempt to exclude foreign
seafarers from any foreign- or UK-registered ship on which they were
prepared to serve, security considerations
The
Department of Transport would liaise with the Merchant Navy
Establishment Administration and shipowners to arrange as necessary
that ships that had been requisitioned were adequately crewed.
permitting.
27 Prior to
to the application of a state of Active Service to a
requisitioned ship, discipline would continue to be maintained by
the master of the ship. The crews of merchant ships accompanying
Royal Navy ships on Active Service would regardless of nationality
be subject to the disciplinary provisions of the Naval Discipline
Act 1957.
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