Dangerous Cargoes Act, 1953

Exact source transcription retained, including print layout and extraction artifacts. Text SHA-256: f1d6913caec7d4f6cc6036e2b75448d7d94fd6b34ed065ba149fe430fcd4ec2a.

Page 1 of 5 
 
 
  
THE DANGEROUS CARGOES ACT, 1953 
  
       
          
         CONTENTS 
1.  Short title, extent and commencement 
2.  Definitions 
3.  Measures for the safety of ports 
4.  Power to make rules 
5.  Declaration of emergency 
6.  Powers of the Chief of the Naval Staff 
7.  Delegation of powers by Chief of the Naval Staff 
8.  Powers of Deputy Conservator of a port 
8.A.  Technical Adviser Dangerous Cargoes 
9.  Contravention of this Act 
10.  Power to arrest without warrant 
11.  Savings as to order 
12.  Protection of action taken under this Act 
 
  
 
 

 
Page 2 of 5 
 
THE DANGEROUS CARGOES ACT, 1953 
ACT NO. V OF 1953 
[15th April, 1953] 
An Act 1[to make further provision for] the safety of ports in respect of the transit, working and 
storage of dangerous cargoes and matters incidental thereto. 
WHEREAS it is expedient 1[to make further provision for] the safety of ports in respect of the 
transit, working and storage of dangerous cargoes and matters incidental thereto; 
It is hereby enacted as follows:___ 
1. Short title, extent and commencement .___(1) This Act may be called the Dangerous 
Cargoes Act, 1953. 
(2) It extends to the whole of Pakistan.  
(3) It shall come into force at once. 
1[2. Definitions.___In this Act,___ 
(1) “dangerous cargoes” means any cargoes containing___ 
(a)  any goods shown as explosives in the Comprehensive Classified List of 
Government Explosives compiled and issued by the Explosive 2[Storage] and 
Transport Committee which has been accepted and approved by the 2[Federal 
Government] or any ammunition; or 
(b)  petroleum, as defined in clause (a) of section 2 of the Petroleum Act, 1934  
(XXX of 1934), when the flashing point of such petroleum is below one hundred 
and fifty degrees Fahrenheit; 
2[(c)  prohibited dangerous goods, that is to say, goods classified as dangerous in the 
International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code or the Government Stowage 
Instructions as revised from time to time by the Federal Government; or] 
(d)   any cargoes which are liable to fire or explosion and which are declared by the 
2[Federal Government] by notification  in the official Gazette to be dangerous 
cargoes for the purposes of this Act. 
 
 
1Subs. by Act No. XIII of 1954, ss. 2 and 3. 
2Subs. by Act No. XLIII of 1974, ss. 2 and 7. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Page 3 of 5 
 
(2) “Fortress Commander” means an officer of the armed forces appointed as such by the 
1[Federal Government] by a notification in the official Gazette.] 
3. Measures for the safety of ports .___The 1[Federal Government] may make such orders as 
appear to it to be necessary or expedient for securing the safety of any port and preventing or dealing 
with explosions and fires on vessels carrying dangerous cargoes within the limits of any port, and 
generally for the transit working and storage of dangerous cargoes and matters incidental thereto. 
4. Power to make rules.___(1) The 1[Federal Government] may by notification in the o fficial 
Gazette, make such rules as appear to it to be necessary or expedient for carrying the purposes of this 
Act into effect. 
(2) Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing  power such rules may provide for all 
or any of the following, namely: ___ 
(a)  the constitution, mobilization, enrolment, discipline, equipment, duties, 
privileges, and protection of fire-brigades and fire services in or near any port;  
(b)  the powers to be conferred and duties to be imposed on any officer or authority 
for the purposes of this Act;  
(c)  the mobilization and control of any Government, State or Municipal service, or 
private organisation, by the Fortress Commander in the event of the declaration 
of an emergency or apprehended emergency due to fire or explosion. 
5. Declaration of emergency .___The existence of an emergency or apprehended emergency 
2[due to fire or explosion] shall be declared by the Fortress Commander on the advice of the 1[Chief 
of the Naval Staff]. 
6. Powers of the 1[Chief of the Naval Staff].___ Without prejudice to any other powers which 
may be conferred on him under this Act, the 1[Chief of the Naval Staff] may___ 
(a)  issue orders requiring measures to be taken for the safety or vessels in a port 
and against or in respect of fire;  
(b)  issue orders to the owner or master of any vessel in port requiring him,___ 
(i)  to take such steps as may be mentioned in the order for the detection and 
combating of fire; 
(ii)  to do, or to refrain from doing, such things as may be mentioned in the 
order in order to secure the safety of the vessel or prevent it from 
endangering other vessels or property; 
 
1Subs. by Act No. XLIII of 1974, ss. 3, 4 and 7. 
2Ins. by Act No. XIII of 1954, s. 4.  
 
 
Page 4 of 5 
 
 (iii)  to scuttle or beach the vessel in such position as may be specified in the 
order if the vessel is on fire or has suffered damage by fire or otherwise 
and constitutes, in the opinion of the 1[Chief of the Naval Staff], a danger 
to other vessels or obstructs the proper working of the port; 
 (c)  issue orders requiring any work to be done on any land, or anything to be placed 
in, on or over any land, within the limits of a port, and such work may include 
the demolition or the rendering useless of anything placed in, on or over such 
land and the rem oval from such land of anything so demolished or rendered 
useless. 
7. Delegation of powers by 1[Chief of the Naval Staff].___The 1[Chief of the Naval Staff] may, 
by notification in the official Gazette, delegate any power conferred on him by or under this Act to any 
officer subordinate to him and references in the Act to the said 1[Chief of the Naval Staff] shall include 
references to his delegate: provided that in time of peace such power shall be delegated only to the 
1[Commodore-in-Charge or Flag Officer C ommanding, Karachi, as the case may be] and in time of 
war to the 1[officer of the Pakistan Navy, howsoever designated, who is for the time being incharge] 
of the port. 
8. Powers of Deputy Conservator of a port .___Without prejudice to any powers conferred 
upon him under this Act or by or under any law for the time being in force the Deputy Conservator of 
a port shall have power to order the master of any vessel in port 2[other than a tanker]___ 
(a)  to place at his disposal such proportion, not exceeding three quarters, of the 
crew of the vessel as the Deputy Conservator requires for the purpose of 
preventing or extinguishing an outbreak of fire in the port;  
(b)  to take such steps as he may direct to extinguish any fire in his vessel. 
In this section “Deputy Conservator” means the person who is for the time being discharging 
the duties of Deputy Conservator of the port. 
1[8.A. Technical Adviser Dangerous Cargoes.___(1) The Federal Government may appoint a 
Technical Adviser Dangerous Cargoes on such terms and conditions as it may determine. 
(2) The Technical Adviser Dangerous Cargoes shall, besides advising the Federal Government 
on matters relating to safety and security of any port, prevention of, and dealing with, explosions and 
fires on vessels carrying dangerous cargoes within the limits  of any port and the transit, working and 
storage of dangerous cargoes, exercise such powers and perform such functions as may be assigned to 
him by the Federal Government.] 
 
 
1Subs. and ins. by Act No. XLIII of 1974, ss. 4, 5 and 6. 
2Ins. by Act No. XIII of 1954, s. 5.  
 
 
 
Page 5 of 5 
 
9. Contravention of this Act .___ (1) Any contravention of or attempt to contravene, and any 
abetment of or attempt to abet the contravention of any provision of this Act, or the rules made 
thereunder or any order under this Act or the rules shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term  
which may extend to two years or with fine which may extend to five thousand rupees or with both. 
(2) For the purposes of this section failure to obey the provisions of any rule or order under this 
Act shall be construed as a contravention of the rule or order. 
10. Power to arrest without warrant .___The police may arrest without warrant any person 
committing an offence under this Act. 
11. Savings as to order.___(1) No order made in exercise of any power conferred by or under 
this Act shall be called to question by any court. 
(2) When an order purports to have been made and signed by any officer or any authority in 
exercise of any power conf erred by or under this Act the c ourt shall, within the meaning of the 
Evidence Act, 1872 (I of 1872), presume that such order was so made by that officer or authority. 
12. Protection of action taken under this Act .___(1) No suit, prosecution or other legal 
proceeding shall lie against any person for anything which is in good faith done or intended to be done 
in pursuance of this Act or any rules made thereunder or any order issued under this Act or the rules. 
(2) Save as otherwise expressly provided under this Act no suit or other legal proceeding shall 
lie against the 1[Government] for any damage caused or likely to be caused by anything in good faith 
done or intended to be done in pursuance of this Act or any rule made thereunder or any order issued 
under this Act or the rules. 
 
______________ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                                                             Dated.23-07-2025 
 
1Subs. by A. O., 1961, Art. 2 and Table, (with effect from the 23rd March, 1956).