Andaman And Nicobar Islands (Entry Of Sea-Going Vessels In Ports) Rules, 1972

The Andaman And Nicobar Islands (Entry Of Sea-Going Vessels In Ports) Rules, 1972

Published vide Notification Gazette of India, 1976, Part 2, Section 3(1), page 2055.

2022

G.S.R. 950, dated 14th July, 1972. - Whereas certain draft rules to regulate the port facilities for vessels entering the ports of Port Blair, Camorta, Car Nicobar, Elphinstone and Mayabunder or any other port in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands were published as required by sub-section (2) of Sec. 6 of the Indian Ports Act, 1908 (15 of 1908), at pages 607 and 608 of the Gazette of India, Part II, Sec. 3, sub-section (i), dated the 19th February 1972 under the Notification of the Government of India in the Ministry of Shipping and Transport (Transport Wing) No. G.S.R. 238, dated 31st January 1972, inviting objections and suggestions from all persons likely to be affected thereby till the 20th March, 1972.

And, whereas the said Gazette was made available to the public on 21st February, 1972;

And whereas no objections or suggestions have been received from the public;

Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 6 of the said Act and in supersession of the Notification of the Government of India in the Ministry of Home Affairs No. 58/11/56-AN, dated 27th March, 1957, the Central Government hereby makes the following rules to regulate the port facilities for vessels entering the ports of Port Blair, Camorta, Car Nicobar, Elphinstone and Mayabunder or any other port in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, namely:

1. Short title, application and commencement.- (1) These rules maybe called the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Entry of Sea-going Vessels in Port) Rules, 1972.

(2) They shall apply to all sea-going vessels entering the ports of Port Blair, Camorta, Car Nicobar, Elphinstone and Mayabunder or any other port in the Union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

(3) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.

2. Entering or leaving port.- (1) All sea-going vessels, on entering or leaving the port between sunrise and sunset, shall fly their national flags and when entering the port, a vessel shall fly her signal letters.

(2) No vessels shall enter or leave the port between 1800 and 0600 hours without the special authority of the Conservator of the Port.

3. Berthing of vessels.- All vessels within the port shall take up such berths as may be assigned to them by the Conservator of the Port and shall change their berths or shift therefrom when so required by that authority.
4. Berthing of vessels carrying dangerous goods.- Any vessel carrying dangerous goods which are likely to cause risk or danger to any person or to themselves or to any other property shall not be berthed at any berth inside the harbour if in the opinion of the Conservator her presence inside the harbour constitutes undue danger to the port.
5. Loading and discharging of explosives etc.- All vessels loading or discharging explosives or any other dangerous goods within the limits of the port shall take up such special berths as the Conservator of the port may direct.
6. Discharge of ballast, rubbish and oil.- No ballast, rubbish, oil or ballast water containing oil shall be thrown or discharged from any vessels within the limits of the port without the special permission of the Conservator.
7. Protection of vessels.- All vessels when not working cargo shall have all hatches closed or adequately protected.
8. Keeping free passage.- The entrance to the harbour and the fair way leading to inner berths shall be kept cleared by all vessels and a free passage shall be kept to all landing places, warehouses and anchorages in accordance with such directions as may be issued by the Conservator and all vessels shall move away from such areas when so required by the Conservator.
9. Anchoring and mooring.- (a) All vessels inside the harbour shall be anchored or moored in such a manner as may be directed by the Conservator.

(b) The anchors of all sea-going vessels must be buoyed.

10. Fumigating of vessels.- No vessel shall be fumigated except at a place appointed by the Conservator for that purpose.
11. Heating on board the vessels.- No pitch or dammar shall be heated on board the vessels within the port or shall spirit be drawn off on board such vessels by candle light or other unprotected artificial light.
12. Handling vessels carrying explosives.- When explosives in excess of 45 kgs, are being shipped on board or being discharged from any vessel within the limits of the port, neither fire, lights nor smoking are, under any circumstances, to be permitted on board except as provided in the Explosives Rules, 1940.
13. Signals for vessels carrying explosives.- (a) The Master of any vessel arriving within the port with ammunition or explosives over 45 kgs. on board as cargo shall display the Red Flag 'B' of the International Code of Signals during daylight and from sunset to sunrise shall exhibit where it can best be seen a red light visible all round the horizon for such time as the ammunition or explosives may be on board within the port limits.

(b) The use of sound signals for attracting attention is prohibited on board vessels while within the limits of the port except for the purpose specified in the Regulation for preventing collisions at sea and in case of emergency where assistance from the shore is urgently required in the interest of the safety of the vessel.

14. Employment of persons in cleaning or painting a vessel.- No person shall be employed in cleaning or painting a vessel or in marking in bilges, boilers or double bottoms of a vessel in the port either before or after the hours which may be fixed from time to time by the Conservator of the port for such purpose.
15. Prohibition on bathing in harbour.- Bathing is strictly prohibited in the harbour on account of sharks which are liable to be present inside the harbour waters.
16. Arrival notification of vessels.- (a) At least 12 hours before the expected arrival of the vessel, her agents shall send a notification to the Conservator of the port.

(b) Detailed particulars of cargo to be landed at the port hatch-wise should either accompany the vessel's arrival notification or soon after the actual arrival of the vessel in the port.

17. Allotment of berths to vessels.- Vessels may be allotted berths by the Conservator subject to nautical requirements being satisfied.
18. Carrying out repairs to vessels.- Masters of vessels intending to carry out repairs shall observe the following instructions:

(i) vessel may not be immobilised without first obtaining permission from the Conservator of the port;

(ii) vessel maybe shifted from the berth when the berth occupied is required for other purpose; and

(iii) repairs involving naked lights, gas cutting, welding and the like in the vicinity of fuel oil storage tanks or fuel system involving the entry of a person into any fuel storage tanks may not be commenced unless a gas free certificate from the appropriate authority has been obtained.

19. Navigation inside harbour limits.- Small ships, boats and other harbour crafts operating inside the harbour limits should navigate with caution in the Chatham jetty area and Hood Point anchorage due to sub-marged logs likely to exist and further, boats should not go beyond the navigational buoys provided at Rangers Flat, Blair Reef and beacon at Preserverance Point.
20. Navigating speed inside harbour.- All vessels while navigating inside the harbour area shall navigate at a speed of 8 knots only.