Directive (EU) 2017/2110 of the European Parliament and of the CouncilShow full title

Article 7 Rectification of deficiencies, prohibition of departure and suspension of inspection

1. Member States shall ensure that any deficiencies confirmed or revealed by an inspection carried out in accordance with this Directive are rectified.

2. Where the deficiencies are clearly hazardous to health or safety or pose an immediate danger to health or life, the ro-ro passenger ship or high-speed passenger craft, its crew and passengers, the competent authority of the Member State shall ensure that the ro-ro passenger ship or high-speed passenger craft is subject to an order prohibiting its departure (‘a prohibition of departure order’). The master shall be provided with a copy of that order.

3. The prohibition of departure order shall not be lifted until the deficiency has been rectified and the hazard has been removed to the satisfaction of the competent authority of the Member State or until the competent authority of the Member State has established that the ship or craft can, subject to any necessary conditions, proceed to sea or resume operation without risk to the safety and health of passengers or crew, or risk to the ro-ro passenger ship or high-speed passenger craft or other ships.

4. If a deficiency referred to in paragraph 2 cannot be readily rectified in the port in which the deficiency has been confirmed or revealed, the competent authority of the Member State may agree to allow the ship or craft to proceed to an appropriate repair yard where the deficiency can be readily rectified.

5. In exceptional circumstances, where the overall condition of a ro-ro passenger ship or high-speed passenger craft is obviously substandard, the competent authority of the Member State may suspend the inspection of that ship or craft until the company takes the steps necessary to ensure that the ro-ro passenger ship or high-speed passenger craft is no longer clearly hazardous to safety or health or no longer poses an immediate danger to the life of its crew and passengers or to ensure that it complies with the relevant requirements of applicable international conventions.

6. Where the competent authority of the Member State suspends the inspection in accordance with paragraph 5, the ro-ro passenger ship or high-speed passenger craft shall be automatically placed under a prohibition of departure order. The prohibition of departure order shall be lifted where the inspection has been resumed and successfully completed and where the conditions set out in paragraph 3 of this Article and in Article 9(2) have been complied with.

7. In order to alleviate port congestion, the competent authority of the Member State may allow a ro-ro passenger ship or high-speed passenger craft subject to a prohibition of departure order to be moved to another part of the port if it is safe to do so. However, the risk of port congestion shall not be a consideration when deciding whether to impose or to lift a prohibition of departure order. Port authorities or bodies shall facilitate the accommodation of such ships.