18. —(1) Where a vessel registered in a Convention state which is a party to the Agreement is taken by an enforcement officer to a port in the State and the vessel is detained or anything on the vessel is seized as evidence, and the Minister receives from that state a request under Article 15 of the Agreement for—

(a) the surrender of the vessel,

(b) the surrender of any thing seized from the vessel, or

(c) the surrender of both the vessel and any such thing.

the Minister may, if satisfied that the request is in accordance with the Agreement, by order direct that the vessel or thing, or both the vessel and thing, as the case may be, be surrendered to such person as in the Minister's opinion is duly authorised by the requesting Convention state to receive it.

(2) Any person to whom an order under subsection (1) directs a vessel or thing to be surrendered may receive, hold in custody and convey out of the State the vessel or thing so surrendered.