(1)  The owner or master of a vessel may opt to decline a particular safety audit of the vessel if he or she considers that a safety audit at that time would adversely interfere with the vessel's operations or maintenance or, for another reason, be impracticable or inconvenient.

(2)  The option to decline a safety audit is not exercisable, in aggregate, on more than 2 occasions in any 12-month period, or more than twice in succession, in respect of the same vessel.

(3)  An authorised person must not proceed with a proposed vessel safety audit if the option under subregulation (1) is exercised in respect of that audit.

(4)  A person exercises the option under subregulation (1) for a particular safety audit of a vessel by –

(a) if regulation 50(3) applies, telling or notifying the authorised person who goes to the vessel to conduct the audit that the option is being exercised; or

(b) if regulation 50(4) applies, notifying MAST or the authorised person who proposes to conduct the audit that the option is being exercised.

(5)  The option under subregulation (1) is not exercisable –

(a) in respect of a safety audit that has actually started; or

(b) in respect of a safety audit without warning if the authorised person who proposes to conduct the safety audit believes that the safety of the vessel or any person may be at risk if the audit does not proceed forthwith.