Notwithstanding the provisions of section 73 the Authority may, in its discretion and for such periods and under such conditions as it may specify if it is satisfied that no suitable holder of a certificate of the required grade and granted under this Act or referred to in section 83 or 84 is available, permit a South African ship to go to sea from any port whatsoever or a ship other than a South African ship to go to sea from a port in the Republic without the prescribed number of certificated officers or other persons, and while any such permission remains in force any person who acts in terms thereof shall not, if the conditions under which it was granted are complied with, be deemed to have contravened the provisions of section 73.

[Section 85 substituted by section 15 of Act No. 57 of 1998]