Members of Parliament on Thursday took a draft legislation that seeks to replace the existing Merchant Shipping Act, 1963 (Act 183) through the second reading.

The legislation at this stage has only one step to go before presidential assent. Known as the "Ghana Shipping Bill", it intends to bring the law governing maritime activity in Ghana into conformity with the International Maritime Organisation's (IMO) conventions on maritime operations.

The existing Merchant Shipping Act was based on the English Merchant Shipping Act of 1894. The bill incorporates international maritime conventions including the Safety of life at sea Convention, the Load Line Convention, and the Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims Conventions,

The rest are the Mortgages and Lines Conventions, Salvage Convention, the Tonnage Measurement Convention and the International Convention of Standards of Training, Certification and Watch keeping for Seafarers.

It makes adequate provisions for the regulation of inland waterways in Ghana. The responsibility for the establishment of navigational aids would rest with the Ghana Maritime Authority if the bill is passed.

The function is now exercised by the Ghana Ports and Harbour Authority, but since the issue of safety of navigation should be the responsibility of the maritime administration, the bill transfers this function accordingly.