The following duties are imposed on all superintendents and all officers of customs and excise as respects all documents which are delivered or transmitted to or retained by them in pursuance of this Act.

They shall take charge of the documents and keep them for such time (if any) as may be necessary for the purpose of settling any business arising at the place where the documents come into their hands, or for any other proper purpose.

They shall, if required, produce them for any of those purposes, and shall then transmit them to the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen.

The Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen shall retain documents transmitted to him under subsection (3) above for such period as the Secretary of State may direct.