The Inland Vessels Act, 2021

Act No. 24

11-Aug-2021

Section 1 — Short title, extent and commencement

1. Short title, extent and commencement.

(1)This Act may be called the Inland Vessels Act,

Section 2021 — (2) It extends to the whole of India.

2021.

(2)It extends to the whole of India.

(3)It shall come into force on such date1 as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint: Provided that different dates may be appointed for bringi ng into force different provisions of this Act in different States or Union territories, as it may deem fit by the Central Government.

Section 2 — Application and scope

2. Application and scope .

(1)Save as otherwise expressly provided in this Act, the provisions of Chapters I, III, X, XVI and XVIII shall apply to all inland vessels plying within inland waters of India, and-

(a)Chapters IV, V, VI, VIII, IX, X, XI, XII, XIII and XIV shall apply to all mechanically propelled vessels registered under this Act;

(b)Chapters VIII, IX, X, XI, XII and XIII shall apply to vessels registered under such laws in force in India other than this Act, or registered in such laws in force in any country other than India; but endorsed or recognised under this Act for the purpose of plying within inland waterways;

(c)Chapters IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, XII, XIII and XIV shall apply to all vessels identified as special category vessels plying or using inland waterways;

(d)Chapter XVII shall apply to all non -mechanically pro pelled inland vessels.

(2)Notwithstanding anything contained in sub -section ( 1), the Central Government or the State Government, as the case may be, may extend the application of any Chapter or provision of this Act to any class or category of inland vess els, or to any region of inland waters, by notification in the Official Gazette.

Section 3 — Definitions

3. Definitions .-In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, -

(a)“authorised insurer ” means any insurance company carrying on any class of marine insurance business, w hich is registered or recognised by the Central Government under any law for the time being in force in India;

Section 1 — 16th February, 2022 ,--Section 1 and 106, vide Notification S.O. 743(E), dated 16th February, 2022, see Gazette of India,

1. 16th February, 2022 ,--Section 1 and 106, vide Notification S.O. 743(E), dated 16th February, 2022, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, sec. 3(ii). 7th of June, 2022 ,--Section 2 to 105 and 107 to 114, vide Notification S.O. 2604(E), dated 7th June, 2022, see Gaze tte of India, Extraordinary, Part II, sec. 3(ii). 6

(b)“bareboat charter ” means an arrangement for the hiring of a vessel without crew, where the charterer is responsible for appointing the crew a nd making other arrangements;