(1) Every person who is empowered by this Act to make an investigation or inquiry or to board, survey, inspect or detain a vessel,---
(a) may go onboard any vessel and inspect the same or any part thereof, or any of the machinery, equipment or articles onboard thereof, or any certificate of the master or other officer to which the provisions of this Act or any of the rules made thereunder apply, not unnecessarily detaining or delaying the vessel from proceeding on any voyage, and if in consequence of any incident to the vessel or for any other reason it is considered necessary so to do, may require the vessel to be taken into dock for the purpose of inspection or survey;
(b) may enter and inspect any premises, the entry and inspection of which appears to be requisite for the purpose of this section;
(c) may, by summons under his hand, require the attendance of all such persons as he thinks fit to call before him and examine them for the purpose of this section, and may require answers or returns to any enquiries he thinks fit to make;
(d) may require and enforce the production of all relevant books, papers, or documents;
(e) may administer oaths or may in lieu of requiring or administering an oath, require every person examined by him to make and subscribe a declaration of the truth of the statements made by him in his examination; and
(f) may muster the crew of any such vessel.
(2) No person shall hinder or obstruct any officer or person referred to in sub-section (1) from going onboard any vessel or otherwise impede him in the execution of his duties or the exercise of his powers under this Act.
(a) may go onboard any vessel and inspect the same or any part thereof, or any of the machinery, equipment or articles onboard thereof, or any certificate of the master or other officer to which the provisions of this Act or any of the rules made thereunder apply, not unnecessarily detaining or delaying the vessel from proceeding on any voyage, and if in consequence of any incident to the vessel or for any other reason it is considered necessary so to do, may require the vessel to be taken into dock for the purpose of inspection or survey;
(b) may enter and inspect any premises, the entry and inspection of which appears to be requisite for the purpose of this section;
(c) may, by summons under his hand, require the attendance of all such persons as he thinks fit to call before him and examine them for the purpose of this section, and may require answers or returns to any enquiries he thinks fit to make;
(d) may require and enforce the production of all relevant books, papers, or documents;
(e) may administer oaths or may in lieu of requiring or administering an oath, require every person examined by him to make and subscribe a declaration of the truth of the statements made by him in his examination; and
(f) may muster the crew of any such vessel.
(2) No person shall hinder or obstruct any officer or person referred to in sub-section (1) from going onboard any vessel or otherwise impede him in the execution of his duties or the exercise of his powers under this Act.
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More sections of this act
Section 1 · Short title and commencement.Section 2 · Application of Act.Section 3 · Definitions.Section 4 · Establishment of National Shipping Board.Section 5 · Constitution of Seafarer’s Welfare Board.Section 6 · Power to make rules.Section 7 · Director-General of Maritime Administration.Section 8 · Officers.India Code, Government of India. Text fetched 25 Oct 2026. Check the linked official text and subsequent notifications when applying a provision.