Chapter:	415	Title:	MERCHANT SHIPPING (REGISTRATION) ORDINANCE	Gazette Number:	64 of 1999
Section:	18	Heading:	Marking of ship	Version Date:	05/11/1999

(1) Every ship shall, before it is registered, be marked permanently and conspicuously to the satisfaction of the Registrar as follows-

(a) the ship's name shall be marked on each of its bows, and its name and the name of its port of registry shall be marked on its stern, on a dark ground in white or yellow letters and (if appropriate) Chinese characters, or on a light ground in black letters and (if appropriate) Chinese characters, such letters and (if appropriate) Chinese characters to be of a length not less than one decimetre, and of proportionate breadth; (Amended 64 of 1999 s. 3)
(b) in the case of a ship registered before 1 January 1974 a scale of feet denoting the ship's draught of water shall be marked on each side of its stem and of its stern post in Roman capital letters or in figures, not less than 6 inches in length, the lower line of such letters or figures to coincide with the draught line denoted thereby, and the letters or figures must be marked by being cut in and painted white or yellow on a dark ground, or in such other way as the Director may approve;
(c) in the case of a ship registered on or after 1 January 1974, a scale of decimetres, or of metres and decimetres, denoting a draught of water shall be marked on each side of its stem and of its stern post-
(i) in figures at two-decimetre intervals, if the scale is in decimetres; and
(ii) in figures at each metre interval and at intervening two-decimetre intervals, if the scale is in metres and decimetres,
the capital letter "M" being placed after each metre figure; the top figure of the scale showing both the metre and (except where it marks a full metre interval) the decimetre figure; the lower line of the figures, or figures and letters (as the case may be), coinciding with the draught line denoted thereby; the figures and letters being not less than one decimetre in length and being marked by being cut in and painted white or yellow on a dark ground, or in such other way as the Director may approve;
(d) in the case of a ship registered on or after 1 January 1974 but before 31 December 1974 a scale shall be marked either in accordance with paragraph (b) or (c).

(a) conceals, removes, alters, defaces or obliterates; or
(b) suffers any person under his control to conceal, remove, alter, deface or obliterate,