This Act makes provision for a wide variety of matters relating to merchant shipping in Kenya including registration of ships, proprietary rights in ships, safety of navigation and prevention from collision, carriage of cargo including grain and dangerous goods, liability for maritime claims, enforcement and legal proceedings.
The Director-General of the Kenya Maritime Authority shall be the main administrative body for purposes of this Act. Selected provisions of the Act shall apply to fishing vessels and the Act contains a provision on identity marking of fishing vessels. Various provisions of the Act concern the protection of the environment. Provisions concerning limitation of liability shall not apply to claims for oil pollution damage and nuclear damage. The Minister may make Regulations for the protection and preservation of the marine environment from pollution by matter from ships and may give effect to any provision of the specified international maritime conventions and agreements concerning, among other things, to oil pollution damage, incidents with hazardous and noxious substances and dumping of waste.