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The large public warehouses of the Colony already employ their own private watch forces. The Committee sees no good reason why, under the authority of the Commissioner of Police, powers of arrest and detention for offences under the Dangerous Goods Regulations should not be vested in these forces.
In the dangerous practice now occasionally coming to light, where Dangerous Goods are being carried on ferries, the Committee recom- mends that the Inspecting Staffs at the concourses be given powers of arrest and search and, in the case of vehicular ferries, greater control of the vehicles' concourses, in order to stop such acts. To aid in such control, the Committee recommends that vehicular ferry concourses be bounded by a fence or wall.
In regard to Dangerous Goods and Explosives on ships in the Harbour, we recommend that the Police should endeavour to ensure that instant action is taken if any safety precaution is not complied with in respect of smoking, naked lights and fires, or in the event of mis- handling of Dangerous Goods or Explosives, or of the lack of watchmen or of Dangerous Goods Signals when required.
Further, we consider that, as is done in the port of Colombo, the Police should provide one constable for duty on each ship engaged in loading or unloading Dangerous Goods to enable the master of the vessel, who is responsible on board, to have offenders immediately arrested and dealt with.
The Committee, however, agrees that, while this Police control should be provided, the technical supervision in the handling of Dangerous Goods in the Port is a matter of direct responsibility to the Marine Department and it is not proposed that the Police shall attempt to give any technical supervision as to the supply or efficiency of ship fire equipment. Periodic inspections in company with a Marine Department Surveyor of Ships or Marine Officer will render good service in keeping stevedores, lightermen and ship personnel alert as regards safety precautions.
12.
Regulations as they affect Vessels traling outside the Colony
We recommend that only the safest and best equipped vessels should be permitted to have on board Dangerous Goods or Explosives at specified berths other than in a Dangerous Goods Anchorage. Except with the special permission of the Director of Marine, all other vessels, British or foreign, must proceed to a Dangerous Goods Inchorage.
We have therefore grouped all vessels using this Port in accordance with their safety standards and it has been found convenient to separate the types as Types I and II, Ocean Voyage ships, Types III anl IV, River Trade vessels, Types V and VI, vessels plying in the Waters of the Colony, and Type VII, Tankers and other vessels carrying Petroleum in bulk.
The allocation of any particular vessel to any Type is to be at the discretion of the Director of Marine, but the procedure to be followed in the case of any shipowner aggrieved by his decision is out- lined.
It is recommended that only the fully equipped and surveyed vessels of Type I enjoy all the proposed relaxations as to the place of handling and the quantity of Dangerous Goods permitted.
We have not been able to recommend that such vessels may berth with unlimited amounts of Dangerous Goods or Explosives, but on the existing Regulations the stipulated quantities have been increased and only those Dangerous Goods which have an explosive or high fire risk have been limited.
/ For Type I