PORT HEALTH [ S.L.36.12 1
SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 36.12
PORT HEALTH REGULATIONS 
18th December, 1946
GOVERNMENT NOTICE 622 of 1946, as amended by Government
Notice 8 of 1953 and Legal Notices 69 of 1961 and  68 of 1989 .
Title.
PART I 
Introductory
Interpretation.
Amended by:
L.N. 69 of 1961.
Cap. 36.
2. (1) The words in these Regulations shall, unless the
meanings given in this regulation or, alternatively, the context
otherwise requires, have the same meaning assigned to them by the
Prevention of Disease Ordinance.
(2) The quarantine station referred to in these Regulations
shall be the Lazzaret in Marsamxett Harbour, or any other place
established for the purpose by the Chief Government Medical
Officer and the Superintendent of Public Health. Such estab-
lishment of any such place shall be notified in the Government
Gazette.
(3) In these Regulations -
"Sanitary Authority" means the Chief Government Medical
Officer, the medical officers of health, the port medical officers,
the port sanitary inspectors and any other medical officers deputed
by the Chief Government Medical Officer to act in the execution of
these Regulations or authorised to act for or to assist the Sanitary
Authority;
"ship" includes vessel, boat or other floating craft;
"deratting certificate" means a certificate issued in accordance
with article 52(4)( a ) of the International Sanitary Regulations;
"deratting exemption certificate" means a certificate issued in
accordance with article 52(4)( b ) of the International Sanitary
Regulations;
"crew" includes any person who is employed in some way in the
service of the ship or of the persons on board or in connection with
the cargo;
"rat" includes other rodents and animals known to be the means
of spreading plague;
"surveillance" means that persons are not isolated and that they
may move about freely, but that the Sanitary Authority of the place
or places to which they are proceeding are notified of their coming.
They may be subjected in the places of arrival to a medical
examination and such enquires as are necessary with a view to
ascertaining their state of health. They may also be required to
report on arrival and afterwards at such intervals during
continuance of surveillance as may be specified, to the health
2 [ S.L.36.12 PORT HEALTH
officer of the place to which they proceed;
"place" means any portion of territory, such as a province, a
district, a department, a commune, an island, a town, a village, a
port;
"infected place" (other than a ship) means any place where
plague (human and rodent), cholera, yellow fever, typhus, smallpox
or any other dangerous communicable disease exists or is believed
to exist: provided that a place shall not be regarded as an infected
place because of the existence thereat of imported cases of disease;
"master" means any officer or other person in charge of or in
command of the ship;
"direct intercourse" means the reception on board of any person
or letter or articles of any kind, no matter for how short a period;
"infectious disease" means any epidemic of acute infectious
disease, but does not include venereal disease;
"prescribed measures" in relation to ships, mean such of the
measures set out in Part II of these Regulations as are appropriate
in each case;
"observation" means the isolation of persons, either on board
ship or at any sanitary station, before they are given free pratique;
"International Sanitary Regulations" means the International
Sanitary Regulations adopted by the Fourth World Health
Assembly on the 25th May, 1951, as amended by regulations
adopted by any subsequent World Health Assembly; 
the term "stegomyia" shall be deemed to include stegomyia
calopus, aedes aegypti and any potential mosquito vectors of
yellow fever;
"visiting officer" means and includes the Customs boarding
officer, the port sanitary inspectors and any other person appointed
in that behalf by the Minister responsible for health by notice in the
Government Gazette;
"valid" in relation to a deratting certificate or deratting
exemption certificate issued for a ship, means issued not more than
six months before the production of the certificate to the port
medical officer, or if, in the opinion of the port medica1 officer, the
ship is proceeding to a port where the deratting or inspection, as the
case may be, would be facilitated, not more than seven months
before such production.
Place no longer 
regarded as 
infected.
3. A place shall cease to be regarded as infected when the
Chief Government Medical Officer is satisfied that all the
necessary preventive measures have been adopted and that the
danger of infection from that place has ceased.
Notice to the 
public.
4. When any place is regarded as infected, or as having
ceased to be infected, a notice to that effect shall be issued for the
information of the public.
Interpretation of 
"infected".
5. "Infected", in relation to a ship arriving in these Islands,
means a ship -
PORT HEALTH [ S.L.36.12 3
( a ) which has on board a case of plague, cholera, or
yellow fever; or
( b ) on which a person developed plague more than six
days after embarkation and which has not since been
subjected to the prescribed measures; or
( c ) on which plague-infected rats are found; or
( d ) which has had on board a case of cholera within five
days prior to arrival and which has not since been
subjected to the prescribed measures; or
( e ) which had on board a case of yellow fever at the time
of departure from a port, or which has had such a case
on board during the voyage and which has not since
the last case occurred been subjected to the prescribed
measures.
Interpretation of 
"suspected".
6. "Suspected", in relation to a ship arriving in these Islands,
means a ship -
( a ) on which a person developed plague within six days
after embarkation and which has not since been
subjected to the prescribed measures; or
( b ) on which there has been an unusual mortality among
rats the cause whereof is undetermined; or
( c ) which had on board a case of cholera at the time of
departure from a port, or during the voyage, but on
which no fresh case has occurred within five days
prior to arrival and which has not since the last case
occurred been subjected to the prescribed measures; or
( d ) arriving from a place infected with yellow fever or
from a place in close relations with an endemic centre
of yellow fever after a voyage of less than six days or
after a longer voyage if there is reason to believe that
the ship may be carrying any potential mosquito
vectors of yellow fever emanating from the said place.
Cholera.
the clinical features of cholera shall be deemed to be a case of
cholera until two bacteriological examinations made with an
interval of not less than twenty-four hours between them have not
revealed the presence of cholera or other suspicious vibrios.
"Healthy" ship.
it has arrived from an infected placed, if there has been no case of
infectious disease on board, either at the time of departure or
during the voyage or on arrival, and if investigations regarding rats
have not shown the existence on board of an unusual mortality;
and, in the case of a ship arriving from a place infected with yellow
fever, if after a voyage of more than six days it has had no case of
yellow fever on board, and either there is no reason to believe that
it transports adult stegomyia or it is proved to the satisfaction of the
port medical officer -
( a ) that the ship, during its stay in the port of departure
was moored at a distance of at least four hundred
4 [ S.L.36.12 PORT HEALTH
metres from the inhabited shore and at such distance
from harbour vessels as to make the access of
stegomyia improbable; or 
( b ) that the ship, at the time of departure was effectively
fumigated in order to destroy mosquitos.
PART II 
Ships Arriving
State of health of 
persons on board. 
9. The master of a ship approaching these Islands from
abroad shall ascertain the state of health of all persons on board.
Sending of 
information to port 
medical officer by 
suitable wireless 
transmitting 
apparatus.
10. The master of any ship fitted with a suitable wireless
transmitting apparatus, on approaching Malta from abroad, shall, if
any person on board has symptoms which may be indicative of
infectious disease other than tuberculosis, or if there are any
circumstances requiring the attention of the Sanitary Authority,
send to the port medical officer, either directly or through an agent,
a wireless message embodying such items of information as are
necessary or expedient.
Any wireless message so required to be sent shall be sent so
as to reach the port medical officer not more than twelve and not
less than four hours before the time at which the ship is expected to
arrive in Malta.
Any message in wireless code delivered to the port medical
officer shall conform with the section relating to routine quarantine
messages of the 1931 International Code of Signals.
Sending of 
information to port 
medical officer. 
11. If, when a ship not fitted with a suitable wireless
transmitting apparatus is approaching Malta from abroad, any
person on board has any symptoms which may be indicative of
infectious disease other than tuberculosis or there are any
circumstances requiring the attention of the Sanitary Authority, the
master shall, whenever practicable before the arrival of the ship or
otherwise forthwith on arrival, notify the port medical officer in
regard to the health conditions on board.
Compliance with 
signals.
12. The master of a ship coming from abroad shall comply
with the following provisions as to signals:
Whichever of the undermentioned signals is appropriate
shall be shown until the ship is admitted to pratique:
( a ) by day, during the whole of the time between sunrise
and sunset, within the limits of the port:
(i) the flag signal Q meaning - "my ship is healthy, I
request free pratique;
(ii) the two flag signal QQ meaning - "my ship is
suspect, that is to say, I have had a case or cases
of infectious disease more than five days ago, or
there is an unusual mortality among rats on
board"; or
(iii) the two flag signal QL meaning - "my ship is
infected, that is to say, I have had a case or cases
of infectious disease less than five days ago".
PORT HEALTH [ S.L.36.12 5
The day signal shall be shown at the masthead or
where it can best be seen;
( b ) by night, during the whole of the time between sunset
and sunrise, but only when the ship is within the limits
of the port, a signal comprising a red light over a white
light, the lights being not more than one point eight
metres apart, and meaning, "I have not free pratique".
The night signal shall be shown at the peak or other
conspicuous place where it can best be seen.
Infected ship to 
remain outside 
port.
13. The master of any ship which is infected or suspected, on
arriving in Malta, shall remain outside the limits of the port, and, if
already within the port, hoist the signal prescribed in the preceding
regulation and inform the port medical officer forthwith.
The port medical officer shall thereupon proceed to such
ship and give such orders as the nature of the case may require in
accordance with these Regulations.
Production of 
deratting 
exemption 
certificate.
Added by:
L.N. 69 of 1961.
14. (1) If the master of a ship arriving in Malta from abroad
cannot produce to the port medical officer a valid deratting
certificate or deratting exemption certificate in respect of the ship,
the port medical officer shall require the ship to be inspected to
ascertain whether it is kept in such a condition that the number of
rodents on board is negligible.
(2) If, after the ship has been inspected, the port medical
officer is satisfied that the ship is free from rodents or is kept in
such a condition that the number of rodents on board is negligible,
he shall issue a deratting exemption certificate.
(3) If, after the ship has been inspected, the port medical
officer is not so satisfied, he shall require the ship to be deratted in
a manner to be determined by him.
(4)  The master shall forthwith make arrangements for any
deratting required by the port medical officer.
(5) When deratting has been completed to the satisfaction of
the port medical officer, he shall issue a deratting certificate.
Application for a 
deratting 
exemption 
certificate.
Added by:
L.N. 69 of 1961.
15. Upon receipt of an application in writing from the owner of
a ship in Malta, or from the master acting for and on behalf of the
owner, for a deratting exemption certificate or a deratting
certificate in respect of the ship, the port medical officer shall take
any steps which he considers necessary to satisfy himself that the
ship is kept in such a condition that the number of rodents on board
is negligible, or give directions for the deratting of the ship, as the
case may require, and, on being satisfied as to the condition of the
ship or that the deratting has been properly carried out, he shall
issue the appropriate certificate.
Form of deratting 
and exemption 
certificate.
Added by:
L.N. 69 of 1961.
16. Every deratting certificate and deratting exemption
certificate shall be in the form specified in the First Schedule to
these Regulations.
(2) A copy of every such certificate issued shall be retained at
the Port Health office.
6 [ S.L.36.12 PORT HEALTH
Inspection fee.
Added by:
L.N. 69 of 1961.
17. For an inspection relating to the issue of a deratting
exemption certificate or of a deratting certificate, as the case may
be, in respect of ships of the net tonnage specified in the First
Column of the Second Schedule to these Regulations there shall be
leviable by the Chief Government Medical Officer the appropriate
fee specified in the Second Column of the said schedule.
PLAGUE
Plague. 18. In the case of plague the following measures shall be
taken:
A. Infected ships:
(i) The ship shall be inspected and all persons on
board shall be medically examined.
(ii) The sick shall immediately be disembarked and
isolated at the quarantine station.
(iii) All persons who have been in contact with the
sick and those whom the port medical officer has
reason to consider suspect shall be disembarked
if possible. They may be subjected to
observation or surveillance or to observation
followed by surveillance provided that the total
duration of these measures does not exceed six
days after the date of arrival of the ship.
(iv) During any period of isolation or surveillance,
the members of the crew may be prohibited from
leaving the ship.
(v) Bedding which has been in use, soiled linen,
wearing apparel, and other articles which, in the
opinion of the port medical officer, are infected
shall be disinsected and, if necessary,
disinfected.
(vi) The parts of the ship which have been occupied
by persons suffering from plague or which, in
the opinion of the port medical officer, are
infected shall be disinsected and, if necessary,
disinfected.
(vii) The port medical officer may require the ship to
be deratised before any cargo is discharged, if he
considers, having regard to the nature of the
cargo and the way in which it is loaded, that it is
possible to effect the deratisation of the ship
before the discharge of cargo. If the ship has not
been deratised before the discharge of cargo, the
ship may be required to be deratised as soon as
the holds are empty. If the ship is in ballast, it
may be deratised before any cargo is taken on
board. If it is considered impossible to carry out
a complete deratisation, all precautions to the
satisfaction of the port medical officer,
including isolation, shall be taken to prevent rats
from passing from ship to the shore, either
during unloading or at any other time.
PORT HEALTH [ S.L.36.12 7
The discharge of cargo shall be carried out
under the control of the port medical officer,
who shall take all measures necessary to prevent
the spread of infection.
B. Suspected ships:
(i) The provisions contained in paragraphs (i), (v),
(vi) and (vii) of part A of this regulation,
regarding infected ships, shall also apply to
ships suspected of plague.
(ii) The members of the crew and the passengers
may be kept under surveillance for a period not
exceeding six days after the date of arrival of the
ship.
(iii) The members of the crew may, for the same
period, be prohibited from leaving the ship.
C. Healthy ships:
Subject to the provisions of regulation 29, healthy ships
shall be given free pratique, but the following measures may be
prescribed with regard to them:
(i) medical inspection to determine whether the
ship comes within the definition of a healthy
ship;
(ii) destruction of rats on board; 
(iii) the crew and the passengers may be subjected to
surveillance during a period which shall not
exceed six days after the date on which the ship
left the infected port. The crew may be
prohibited during the same period from leaving
the ship.
CHOLERA
Cholera.
taken:
A. Infected ships:
(i) The ship shall be inspected and all persons on
board shall be medically examined.
(ii) The sick shall immediately be disembarked and
isolated at the quarantine station.
(iii) The members of the crew and the passengers
may be disembarked and either be kept under
observation or subjected to surveillance for a
period not exceeding five clear days after the
date of arrival of the ship. Persons satisfying the
port medical officer that they have been
inoculated against cholera within the preceding
six months, excluding the last six days thereof,
may be subjected to surveillance, but not to
observation.
(iv) Bedding which has been used, soiled linen,
8 [ S.L.36.12 PORT HEALTH
wearing apparel and other articles, including
foodstuffs, which, in the opinion of the port
medical officer, have been recently
contaminated, shall be disinfected.
(v) The parts of the ship which have been occupied
by persons infected with cholera or which the
port medical officer considers to be infected,
shall be disinfected.
(vi) Unloading shall be carried out under the control
of the port medical officer who shall take all
measures necessary to prevent the spread of
infection.
(vii) When the drinking water stored on board is
suspected, it shall be emptied out after
disinfection and replaced, after disinfection of
the tanks, by a supply of wholesome drinking
water.
(viii) The port medical officer may prohibit the
emptying of water ballast in port without
previous disinfection if it was taken on board at
an infected port.
(ix) The emptying or discharge of human dejecta, as
well as the waste waters of the ship, into the
waters of the port may be forbidden, unless they
have bean previously disinfected to the
satisfaction of the port medical officer.
B. Suspected ships:
(i) The provisions contained in paragraphs (i), (iv),
(v), (vii), (viii) and (ix) of part A of this
regulation, regarding infected ships, shall also
apply to ships suspected of cholera.
(ii) The members of the crew and the passengers
may be kept under surveillance for a period not
exceeding five clear days after the date of arrival
of the ship.
(iii) The members of the crew may, for the like
period, be prohibited from leaving the ship.
C. Healthy ships.
Subject to the provisions of regulation 29, healthy ships
shall be given free pratique, but the measures specified in
paragraphs (i), (vii), (viii), and (ix) of part A of this regulation,
regarding infected ships, may be prescribed with regard to them.
The crew and the passengers may be subjected to
surveillance during a period which shall not exceed five days after
the date of arrival of the ship. The crew may be prevented during
the same period from leaving the ship.
YELLOW FEVER.
Yellow fever. 20. In the case of yellow fever the following measures should
be taken:
PORT HEALTH [ S.L.36.12 9
A. Infected ships:
(i) The ship shall be inspected and all persons on
board shall be medically examined.
(ii) The sick shall be disembarked, and those of
them who are in the first five days of the illness
shall be isolated in such a manner as to prevent
infection of mosquitos.
(iii) The other persons who disembark shall be kept
under observation in mosquito-proof quarters,
approved for the purpose by the Chief
Government Medical Officer and/or under such
conditions as may be specified by the said
medical officer, for a period of six days
reckoned from the time of landing:
Provided that a healthy person who is in
possession of a valid inoculation certificate
against yellow fever shall not, for the purpose of
the control of yellow fever, be subjected to
quarantine restrictions:
Provided also that a person in possession
of a certificate of urgency may be allowed free
movement and unobstructed passage, but may be
required to be accommodated during the night in
mosquito-proof quarters, approved by the Chief
Government Medical Officer for the said period
of six days.
(iv) The ship shall be moored at least four hundred
metres from the shore and at such distance from
the harbour boats as would render the access of
stegomyia improbable.
(v) The destruction of mosquitos in all phases of
growth shall be carried out on board, as far as
possible before discharge of cargo. If discharge
is carried out before the destruction of
mosquitos, the personnel employed shall be
subjected to observation or to surveillance for a
period not exceeding six days after they cease
unloading.
B. Suspected ships:
The provisions contained in paragraphs (i), (iii), (iv), and (v) of
part A of this regulation, regarding infected ships, shall also apply
to ships suspected of yellow fever.
Nevertheless if the voyage has lasted less than six days and it is
proved to the satisfaction of the port medical officer -
( a ) that the ship, during its stay in the port of departure,
was moored at a distance of at least four hundred
metres from the inhabited shore and at such a distance
from harbour vessels as to make the access of
stegomyia improbable;
( b ) or that the ship, at the time of departure was
10 [ S.L.36.12 PORT HEALTH
effectively fumigated in order to destroy mosquitos,
the ship shall be subjected only to the measures prescribed by
paragraphs (i) and (iii) of part A of this regulation, and to
fumigation.
C. Healthy ships:
Subject to the provisions of regulation 29, healthy ships shall be
granted free pratique after medical inspection.
Certificate of 
inoculation against 
yellow fever.
Amended by:
G.N. 8 of 1953.
21. A valid certificate of inoculation against yellow fever is
one certifying that the bearer has been inoculated against yellow
fever if there have elapsed -
(i) more than ten days and less than six years from
the date of the inoculation;
(ii) less than six years from the date of a re-
inoculation performed within six years of the
previous inoculation;
(iii) more than ten days and less than six years from
the date of re-inoculation performed after an
interval of more than six years:
Provided that a certificate certifying that
the bearer has recovered from an attack of
yellow fever and that his blood contains immune
bodies against yellow fever, as proved by a test
carried out by an institute regularly carrying out
biological tests for yellow fever, will be
accepted in place of a valid anti-yellow fever
inoculation certificate.
Certificate of 
urgency.
22. A certificate of urgency means a certificate signed or
countersigned by the Prime Minister certifying that a passage
without hindrance to the bearer of the certificate is absolutely
essential.
EXANTHEMATOUS TYPHUS
Typhus. 23. In the case of typhus, ships which, during the voyage or, if
the voyage has lasted more than six weeks, within the last six
weeks, have had, or at the time of their arrival, have a case of
typhus on board, may be subjected to the following measures:
(i) The ship shall be inspected and all persons on
board shall be medically examined;
(ii) The sick shall immediately be disembarked,
isolated and deloused.
(iii) Any other person reasonably suspected to be
harbouring lice, or to have been exposed to
infection shall also be deloused, and may be
subjected to surveillance for a period not
exceeding twelve days after the date on which he
was deloused.
(iv) Bedding which has been used, soiled linen,
wearing apparel and other articles, which the
port medical officer considers to be infested,
PORT HEALTH [ S.L.36.12 11
shall be disinfected and/or disinsected.
(v) The parts of the ship that have been occupied by
persons suffering from typhus, or that the port
medical officer considers to be infested, shall be
disinfected and disinsected.
Subject to the provisions of regulation 29, the ship shall
then be given free pratique.
Persons who disembark from a ship which has had no case
of typhus on board, but who have left a place where typhus has
been epidemic within the previous twelve days, may be subjected
to surveillance for a period not exceeding twelve days after the date
on which the ship left the infected place.
SMALLPOX
Smallpox.
if the voyage has lasted more than six weeks, within the last six
weeks, have had, or at the time of their arrival have, a case of
smallpox on board, may be subjected to the following measures:
(i) The ship shall be inspected and all persons on
board shall be medically examined.
(ii) The sick shall immediately be disembarked and
isolated.
(iii) Any other person reasonably suspected by the
port medical officer to have been exposed to
infection on board, and who, in the opinion of
the port medical officer, is not sufficiently
protected by recent vaccination by a previous
attack of smallpox may be subjected to
vaccination or to observation or to surveillance
or to vaccination followed by observation or
surveillance for a period not exceeding fourteen
days after the date of arrival of the ship.
(iv) Bedding which has been used, soiled linen,
wearing apparel and other articles which the port
medical officer considers to have been recently
infected shall be disinfected.
(v) The parts of the ship which have been occupied
by persons suffering from small pox or which
the port medical officer considers to be infected
shall be disinfected.
Subject to the provisions of regulation   29,   the ship shall
then be given free pratique. 
Persons who disembark from a ship which has had no case
of smallpox on board, but who have left a place where smallpox has
been epidemic within the previous fourteen days, may be subjected
to vaccination and to surveillance for a period not exceeding
fourteen days after the date on which the ship left the infected
place.
For the purpose of this regulation "recent vaccination" shall
be taken as meaning evidence of successful vaccination performed
12 [ S.L.36.12 PORT HEALTH
not more than three years nor less than fourteen days previously, or
evidence of an immune reaction observed within seventy-two hours
of vaccination.
OTHER INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Other infectious 
diseases.
25. If on the call or arrival of any ship there is on board a case
of infectious disease, not being a case of plague, cholera, yellow
fever, typhus or smallpox, the following measures may be taken:
(i) landing and isolation of the sick;
(ii) disinfection of those parts of the ship that have
been occupied by the sick;
(iii) disinfection of soiled linen, wearing apparel and
other articles that the port medical officer
regards as infected;
(iv) any of the measures mentioned in regulation 29.
PART III 
Ships in Port
Ships in port. 26. With a view to preventing the transportation of disease to
places abroad the port medical officer may - 
( a ) examine any person proposing to embark on a ship,
whom he suspects to be suffering from plague,
cholera, yellow fever, typhus, smallpox or any other
dangerous communicable disease and if, after
examination, he is of opinion that the person shows
symptoms of any of these diseases he may prohibit his
embarkation. He may also prohibit the embarkation of
any person who has been in such close relation with
any person showing symptoms of any of these
diseases, as to render him liable to transmit infection;
( b ) examine any clothing, bedding or other article of
personal use which belongs to, or is in use, or is
intended for use by the master or a member of the crew
or any person who proposes to embark on or is on
board any ship and which, in the opinion of the port
medical officer, may have been exposed to infection,
any may require the disinfection of any such clothing,
bedding, or article of personal use;
( c ) require any parts of a ship which, in his opinion, may
be infected, to be disinfected to his satisfaction;
( d ) prohibit to be taken on board any body linen, clothing
or bedding or any article whatsoever which, in the
opinion of the port medical officer, is capable of
carrying infection, unless that officer is satisfied that it
has been efficiently disinfected;
( e ) in the case of plague -
(i) take steps to secure the deratisation of any ship
on which he has reason to believe that there are
rats;
PORT HEALTH [ S.L.36.12 13
(ii) require the master of the ship to take all
precautions for stopping the access of rats from
the shore to the ship;
( f ) in the case of cholera, take steps to secure that the
drinking water and foodstuffs taken on board are
wholesome, and that water taken in as ballast is
disinfected, if necessary;
( g ) in the case of typhus, require any person who proposes
to embark on, or is on board any ship to be deloused.
Nothing in this regulation shall affect the power of the master of
the ship to refuse to embark sick persons.
PART IV 
Merchandise and Baggage
Merchandise and 
baggage.
27. Merchandise and baggage may be subjected to the
following measures:
( a ) In the case of plague, body linen and wearing apparel
recently worn, and bedding that has been in recent use
may be subjected to disinsectisation, and, if necessary,
to disinfection. Merchandise coming from a place
infected with plague and likely to harbour plague,
infected rats or other vermin may be unloaded only on
condition that the precautions necessary to prevent the
escape of vermin and to ensure their destruction are
taken to the satisfaction of the Chief Government
Medical Officer.
( b ) In the case of cholera, body linen and wearing apparel
recently worn, and bedding that has been in recent use
may be subjected to disinfection.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this
paragraph, the importation of fresh fish, shellfish,
vegetables, fruit and other foodstuffs which, in the
opinion of the Sanitary Authority, have been exposed
to infection or contamination may be prohibited unless
they have undergone a treatment calculated to destroy
cholera vibrios.
( c ) In the case of typhus, body linen and wearing apparel
recently worn, and bedding which has been in recent
use, as well as rags, not carried as merchandise in
bulk, may be subjected to disinsectisation.
( d ) In the case of smallpox, body linen and wearing
apparel recently worn, and bedding which has been in
recent use, as well as rags, not carried as merchandise
in bulk, may be subjected to disinfection.
The importation of rags carried as merchandise
in bulk will be allowed if official evidence is produced
to the port medical officer that such rags have been so
treated at the place of origin by the Sanitary Authority
thereof as to remove the danger of infection.
14 [ S.L.36.12 PORT HEALTH
Mail. 28. Nothing in these Regulations shall render liable to
detention, disinfection or destruction any article forming part of
any mail (other than a parcel mail) conveyed under the authority of
the postal administration of any government, or shall prejudicially
affect the receipt on board and delivery in due course of any such
mail (other than a parcel mail) to the Post Office.
PART V 
General
Powers of port 
medical officer.
29. (1) The port medical officer may board any ship whatever
its port of departure, and inspect every person in the ship. He may
call for inspection of the ship’s books and papers and shall use
every lawful means which may seem to him expedient for
ascertaining the state of health of the persons on board and the
sanitary conditions of the ship.
(2) The port medical officer may, and if so required by the
Chief Government Medical Officer, shall -
( a ) examine any person who is suffering from infectious
disease on board a ship;
( b ) examine any person who is on board such ship, where
there are reasonable grounds for believing or
suspecting that infectious disease is or may be present
on the ship, or that persons on board the ship have
been exposed to infection from infectious disease
during the voyage of the ship or during a period of
three weeks immediately preceding the arrival of the
ship;
( c ) examine any person who is on board a ship and is
reasonably believed to be verminous;
( d ) detain for the purpose of examination either on board
the ship or at some appointed place on shore any
person whom he is empowered or required under this
regulation to examine;
( e ) cause any such person and the clothing of, or any
articles belonging to, such person to be cleansed and
disinfected;
( f ) prohibit any such person from leaving the ship, or
from leaving the ship save upon such specified
conditions as appear to the port medical officer to be
reasonably necessary to prevent the spread of
infection;
( g ) require the master of the ship to take or assist in taking
such steps as, in the opinion of the port medical
officer, are reasonably necessary for preventing the
spread of infection by any such person, for the
destruction of vermin and for the removal of
conditions on the ship likely to convey infection,
including conditions the existence of which might
facilitate the harbouring of vermin.
PORT HEALTH [ S.L.36.12 15
Notice by Sanitary 
Authority.
30. (1) The Sanitary Authority may serve a notice upon the
master of any ship requiring him -
( a ) not to berth his ship alongside any wharf, jetty or quay
or otherwise in connection with the shore;
( b ) not to berth his ship alongside any wharf, jetty or quay
unless it is fended away therefrom for a distance of at
least one point two metres;
( c ) not to berth his ship alongside any wharf, jetty or quay
or otherwise in connection with the shore, unless all
warps, cables, ropes and other shore-moorings are
provided with rat-guards to the satisfaction of the
Sanitary Authority, fixed thereon not less than one
point two metres nor more than one point eight metres
from the ship’s side;
( d ) to keep every warp, cable, rope or other shore-
moorings as aforesaid covered with fresh tar for a
distance of not less than one metre from the ship’s side
and for this purpose to renew such tar-covering at least
every five days;
( e ) to keep similarly tar-covered the outside of any canvas
or other covering used round a shore-mooring;
( f ) to whitewash every evening between five and six
o’clock every gangway communicating between the
ship and the wharf, jetty, quay or shore for a length of
not less than two point four metres from the ship’s side
and over its entire width, and to keep a light burning at
the ship’s end of the gangway from sunset to sunrise;
( g ) to keep all port-holes on the side of the ship adjacent
to the wharf, quay or shore closed or screened to
prevent the passage of rats unless the ship is fended
away from the wharf, jetty, quay or shore for a
distance of at least one point eight metres.
(2) The expenses of carrying out such measures shall be borne
by the master of the ship.
(3) Any master of a ship upon whom such notice has been
served who fails to comply therewith shall be guilty of a
contravention.
Over-crowdedness.
which he considers necessary regarding any ship which is
overcrowded or in a sanitary condition so bad as likely to facilitate
the spread of infectious disease.
Notification.
the visiting officer, whoever boards the ship first, of any case of
infectious disease on the ship and of any circumstances on board
which are likely to lead to infection or the spread of infectious
disease, including the presence of dead rats or mortality or sickness
among rats in the ship.
Ship deemed 
infected until 
granted pratique.
33. (1) Every ship arriving within the limits of Malta shall be
deemed to have come from an infected place until granted pratique
16 [ S.L.36.12 PORT HEALTH
by the port medical officer or by a visiting officer authorised in that
behalf.
(2) The port medical officer or a visiting officer authorised in
that behalf shall grant pratique to a ship as soon as the following
conditions shall have been complied with:
( a ) questions in the form prescribed must be accurately
and completely answered in writing by the master of
the ship, and any other questions which the port
medical officer or visiting officer may deem it
necessary to put to the master or any other person on
board in regard to the sanitary condition of the ship,
the health of the passengers and crew, or of any ship
with which there has been direct intercourse during the
voyage, must be accurately and completely answered
by the person to whom the questions are addressed;
( b ) the answers must clearly indicate the absence of any
infectious disease on board during the voyage or on
arrival of the ship and that the ship has not called at
any infected place or had direct intercourse during the
voyage with any ship from any infected place or
having on board infectious disease and must satisfy the
port medical officer or visiting officer that the granting
of pratique will not be attended by any danger to the
public health.
Compliance. 34. Every person to whom these Regulations apply shall
comply with all directions, requirements or conditions given, made
or imposed by the Sanitary Authority or other authorised officer in
pursuance of these Regulations, and shall furnish all such
information as may reasonably be required by them (including
information as to his name, destination and address).
Submission to 
examination.
35. Every person who is placed under observation or
surveillance in pursuance of these Regulations shall submit himself
to any examination which the Sanitary Authority may consider
necessary.
Surveillance not 
replaced by 
observation.
36. In all cases where these Regulations provide for
surveillance, surveillance may not be replaced by observation
except -
( a ) in circumstances in which it would not be practicable
to carry out surveillance with sufficient thoroughness;
or
( b ) if the risk of the introduction of infection into these
Islands is considered to be exceptionally serious; or
( c ) if the person who would be subjected to surveillance
cannot furnish adequate sanitary guarantees.
Quarantine 
anchorage.
37. Ships arriving from infected places may be ordered to
proceed to a quarantine anchorage, appointed for this purpose.
Ships arriving from any other place may, when the Sanitary
Authority has reason for suspicion, be also ordered to proceed to
the said anchorage.
PORT HEALTH [ S.L.36.12 17
Ship not 
considered as 
having called at a 
port.
38. A ship shall not be considered as having called at a port if,
without having been in communication with the shore, it has landed
only passengers and their luggage and mails, or if it has to take on
board only mails or passengers, with or without their luggage, who
have not been in communication with the port or with an infected
place.
Ship to be dealt 
with according to 
these Regulations.
39. Any ship on board of which during the voyage (or when the
voyage has lasted more than six weeks during the last six weeks)
there has been a suspicious or partially developed case of plague,
cholera, yellow fever, typhus, smallpox or other infectious disease,
may be dealt with according to these Regulations.
Examination of 
any live or dead 
rats.
40. It shall be lawful for officials of the Department of Health
to take from any ship arriving in or staying in the waters of Malta
any live or dead rats for the purpose of examination.
Permission to 
board or leave 
ship.
41. No person other than a person acting in the execution of
these Regulations shall, without the permission of the port medical
officer or other authorised officer of the Sanitary Authority, board
or leave a ship until it is admitted to pratique; and the master of the
ship shall take all steps necessary to secure compliance with this
provision:
Provided that pilots will be allowed to board ships before
pratique for the purpose of taking them into, or out of harbour.
They shall comply with any instructions given to them by the port
medical officer.
Prohibition to 
communicate with 
ship in quarantine.
42. No person shall be allowed to communicate with, or
approach any ship in quarantine without permission from the port
medical officer.
Approval to coal 
and load by the 
Chief Government 
Medical Officer.
43. Infected or suspected ships shall be allowed to coal and
load and to take supplies of water and provisions in quarantine
under such precautions as may be approved by the Chief
Government Medical Officer.
Business between 
masters and agents.
44. Business between masters and their agents, or other
persons, may be transacted under such precautions as may be
prescribed from time to time by the port medical officer.
Ship’s boats.
hauled up from sunset to sunrise, when gangways and gangway
ladders shall also be lifted and kept up.
Health guards.
ship which is kept in quarantine.
Sanitary measures.
going on board any ship in quarantine with or without the
permission of the port medical officer, shall have to submit to all
sanitary measures which the port medical officer shall prescribe to
him.
Names and 
particulars.
48. All passengers on landing at the quarantine station shall
give their names and other particulars to the officer in charge, who
will enter their names in the office register.
Accommodation to 
passengers.
49. The officer in charge of the quarantine station will assign
apartments to passengers, and each passenger will be provided with
18 [ S.L.36.12 PORT HEALTH
the necessary accommodation free of charge. Any additional
accommodation will be supplied at the expense of the passengers,
and will be charged for according to a scale to be drawn up by the
Chief Government Medical Officer.
Passengers not 
allowed to enter 
other passengers’ 
apartments.
50. Passengers shall not be allowed to enter the apartments
assigned to other passengers, or to go beyond the limits assigned to
them, without the permission of the Chief Government Medical
Officer or the port medical officer.
Passengers to 
observe 
instructions.
51. Passengers in the quarantine station shall observe the
instructions which they may receive from the officer in charge,
either directly or through another person, subject to an appeal to the
Chief Government Medical Officer.
Visit to sick 
persons while in 
quarantine station.
52. Persons who fall sick while in the quarantine station will
be visited by the port medical officer but may also be visited by
another medical practitioner, who will be allowed to communicate
with such patients under such precautions as may be ordered by the
port medical officer and approved by the Chief Government
Medical Officer. Such medical practitioner may be subjected to
surveillance.
Person kept under 
observation.
53. Every person kept under observation at the quarantine
station shall invariably be inspected by the port medical officer
before being admitted to pratique.
Employment of 
health guards.
54. Health guards in the quarantine station, or on board ships,
will be employed by the Chief Government Medical Officer.
Health guards 
employed for 
sanitary purposes.
55. Health guards are employed solely for sanitary purposes.
They are not bound to perform other duties.
Fees. 56. The fees due to such health guards shall be collected by the
Chief Government Medical Officer according to a scale to be fixed
by the Minister responsible for Health.
Failure to comply 
with these 
Regulations.
57. The master of a ship in the waters of these Islands, who
does not wish to submit to any requirements of these Regulations
which may be applicable, shall be at liberty to put out to sea
without being subjected to control under these Regulations, if he
notifies the port medical officer of his intention. Such a ship may
be permitted to land mails if the ship is isolated.
Passengers may, also, be allowed to disembark at their
request, on condition that such passengers submit to all
precautionary measures prescribed by the Sanitary Authority.
PORT HEALTH [ S.L.36.12 19
SCHEDULE
(Regulation 16)
FIRST SCHEDULE
DERATTING CERTIFICATE (a) -  CERTIFICAT DE DERATISATION  (a)
DERATTING EXEMPTION CERTIFICATE (a) -  CERTIFICAT D’EXEMPTION DE LA 
DERATISATION  (a)
issued in accordance with Article 52 of the International Sanitary Regulations -  délivré comformé-
ment à l’article 52 du Règlement Sanitaire International
(Not to be taken away by Port Authorities) - ( Ce certificate ne doit pas être retiré par les authorités 
portuaires )
PORT OF  PORT DE
Date ................................................... Date ...................................................
THIS CERTIFICATE records the inspection and  { deratting exemption } (a) at this port and on the abovedate
LE PRESENT CERTIFICAT atteste l’inspection
et {
la 
d é ratisation 
l’exemption }
(a)  en ce port et  à la date ci-dessus
of the  { ship inland navigation vessel } (a) of  { net tonnage for a sea going vessel 
vessel 
} (a) (f)
du navire
de { tonage net dans le cas d’un navire dehaute mier } (a) (f)tonnage ...... dans le cas d’un navire
de navigation int érieure
At the time of  { inspectionderatting } (a) the holds were laden with tons of cargo
Au moment de  { l’inspection
la d ératisation
} (a)  le cales  étaient chargées de   tonnes de cargaison
20 [ S.L.36.12 PORT HEALTH
COMPART-
MENTS
(a)
RAT 
INDICA-
TIONS
TRACES 
DE RATS 
(c)
RAT HARBOURAGE
REGUGE A RATS DERATTING -  DERATISATION
COMPAR
TMENTS  
(b)
discovered
trouvés
(d)
treated
supprimés
by fumigation -  par 
fumigation
Fumigant -  Gaz utilisé
Hours exposure -  Exposition 
(heures)
by catching, trapping 
or poisoning
par capture ou 
poison
Space 
(cubic 
feet) 
Expaces 
(mètres 
cubes)
Quantity 
used
Quantités 
employées 
(c)
Rats 
found 
dead
Rats 
trouvés 
morts
Traps set 
or 
poisons 
put out
Pièges ou 
poisons 
mis
Rats 
caught or 
killed 
Rats pris 
ou tués
Holds 1.
- 2.
- 3.
- 4.
- 5.
- 6.
- 7.
Cales  1.
- 2.
- 3.
- 4.
- 5.
- 6.
 - 7.
Shelter deck 
space .......
Entrepont
Bunker space .... Soute à 
charbon
Engineroom and 
shaft alley ........
Chauffer-
ies tunnel 
de l-arbre
Forepeak and 
store-room .......
Peak 
avant et 
magasin
Afterpeak and 
store-room .......
Peak 
arrière et 
magasin
Lifeboats .......... Canots de 
sauvetage
Charts and 
wireless rooms .
Chambre 
des 
cartes. 
T.S.F.
Galley .............. Cuisines 
Pantry .............. Cambuses
Provisions 
storerooms .......
Soute a 
vivres
Quarters (crew)  Postes 
(equip-
age) 
Quarters 
(officers) ..........
Chambres 
(officiers)
Quarters (cabin 
passengers) ......
Cabines 
(passag-
ers)
Quarters 
(steerage) .........
Postes 
(emigra-
nts)
TOTAL  TOTAL
PORT HEALTH [ S.L.36.12 21
(a)  strike out the unnecessary indications -  Rayer
les mentions inutiles.
(d)  None, small, moderate, or large. -  Néant, peu,
passablement ou beaucoup.
(b)  In case any of the compartments enumerated to
not exist on the ship or inland navigation
vessel, this fact must be mentioned. -
Lorsqu’un des compartiments énumérés
n’existe pas sur la navire, on devra la
mentionner expressément.
(e)  State the weight of sulphur or of cyanide salts
or quantity of HCN acid used. -  Indiquer les
poids de soujre ou de cyanure ou la proportion
d’acide cyanhydique.
(f)  Specify whether applies to metric
displacement or any other method of
determining the tonnage. -  Spécifer s’il s’agit
de déplacement méterique ou, sinon, de quel
autre tonnage il s’agit.
(c)  Old or recent evidence or excreta, runs or
gnawing. -  Traces anciennes ou récentes
d’excrements, de passages ou de rongments.
RECOMMENDATIONS MADE -  OBSERVATIONS. -  In the case of exemption, state here the measures 
taken for maintaining the ship or inland navigation vessel in such a condition that the number of rats on 
board is negligible. -  Dans le cas d’exemption, indiquer ici les mesures prises pour que le navire soit 
maintenu dans les conditions telles que le nombre de rats à bord soit négligeable.
Seal, name, qualification, and signature of the inspector. -  Cachet, nom, qualité et signature de
l’inspectuer.
22 [ S.L.36.12 PORT HEALTH
Added by: SECOND SCHEDULE
L.N. 69 of 1961.
Substituted by:
L.N. 68 of 1989.
(Regulation 17)
First Column  Second Column
Net Tonnage Fees
Lm c m
Up to 1,000 tons 10.00,0
Over 1,000 to 3,000 tons 15.00,0
Over 3,000 to 10,000 tons 20.00,0
Over 10,000 tons to 20,000 tons 30.00,0
Over 20,000 tons to 50,000 tons 35.00,0
Over 50,000 tons 45.00,0
