Compulsory pilotage

(1) The territorial waters of Belize shall be compulsory pilotage waters and all ships other than those excepted under subsection (2), navigating within those waters shall do so under the pilotage of a licensed pilot and any failure to take on a pilot shall render the ship liable to a fine of five hundred dollars in addition to the pilotage fee. The fine and the fee shall be levied as a charge by the Authority. (2) For the purposes of this section, the following ships are excepted ships, (a) ships belonging to Her Majesty; (b) ships owned or operated by the Authority; (c) ferrying boats plying as such exclusively within the limits of a port; 38 (d) ships trading exclusively between ports and other parts of Belize; (e) tugs, dredges, barges or similar vessels whose ordinary course of navigation does not extend beyond the limits of Belize. (3) The Minister or the Ports Commissioner may exempt from compulsory pilotage any ship in any particular case.