Pilotage Act 1983

63 Recovery of pilotage charges

(1) The following persons shall be liable to pay pilotage charges for any ship for which the services of a licensed pilot are obtained, namely: —

(a) the owner or master;

(b) as to pilotage inwards, such consignees or agents as have paid or made themselves liable to pay any other charge on account of the ship in the port of her arrival or discharge;

(c) as to pilotage outwards, such consignees or agents as have paid or made themselves liable to pay any other charge on account of the ship in the port of her departure;

and those charges may be recovered in the same manner as fines of like amount under the [1894 c. 60.] Merchant Shipping Act 1894, but that recovery shall not take place until a previous demand has been made in writing.

(2) Any consignee or agent (not being the owner or master of the ship) who is hereby made liable for the payment of pilotage charges in respect of any ship may, out of any moneys received by him on account of that ship or belonging to the owner thereof, retain the amount of all charges paid by him, together with any reasonable expenses he may have incurred by reason of the payment of the charges or his liability to pay the charges.