16.
| (1) No Ceylon ship, or ship chartered by any person shall be taken to sea from a port or place within or outside Ceylon except under the authority of a licence granted in that behalf by the Director, or otherwise than in accordance with the conditions of such licence. |
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| (2) A licence granted under sub-section (1) may, in the discretion of the Director, be-
| | (a) a general licence; or | | |
| | (b) a licence for a specified period or a specified voyage. | | |
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| (3) Subject to the provisions of section 17, a general licence shall remain valid until it is revoked or cancelled, and a licence for a specified period or a specified voyage shall be valid only for the period or voyage for which it is granted, unless the period is extended by the Director. |
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| (4) A licence granted under sub-section (1) may contain such conditions as the Director may think fit to impose with respect to the trades in which the ship may engage and the voyages which it may undertake, and such conditions may be imposed so as to apply to the ship wherever it may be or while in such waters, or engaged in such trades, or on such voyages, as may be specified. |
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| (5) Any person who contravenes the provisions of sub-section (1) shall be guilty of an offence and on conviction thereof shall be liable to imprisonment of either description for a term not exceeding one year, or to a fine not exceeding three thousand rupees, or to both such imprisonment and fine. |
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Sri Lanka Consolidated Acts