The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPS&W) on September 16, 2026, issued the Merchant Shipping (Sailing Vessels) Rules, 2026.
They shall come into force from September 25, 2026.
The following has been stated:
• The rules establish the regulatory framework for mechanised sailing vessels engaged in sea-going trade and supersede the Merchant Shipping (Sailing Vessels) Rules, 1997. The Rules provide for registration, tonnage measurement, inspection, safety standards, manning and operation of sailing vessels.
• Every sailing vessel shall be registered with the Registrar, with existing registered vessels deemed registered under the new Rules. The Rules prescribe procedures for registration, ownership declarations, tonnage measurement, and certificates of registry, along with inspection and certification requirements. Vessels are subject to annual inspection and must hold a valid Certificate of Inspection; the Rules also set trading limits and requirements based on vessel characteristics and seasonal weather conditions.
• The framework further covers construction and equipment, freeboard, life-saving and fire-fighting appliances, navigation and communication equipment, crew requirements, tindal permits and identity cards, safety drills, piracy/armed robbery precautions, voyage records and official logbooks. It also provides for insurance/compensation arrangements for crew death or personal injury and empowers the Director-General to prescribe conditions for coastal trade, including reserving specified commodities or services for Indian sailing vessels, while taking seasonal weather conditions into account.
• The Rules contain detailed schedules covering tonnage and freeboard calculation, fair and foul seasons for different maritime regions, inspection fees, fire-extinguisher requirements, piracy precautions, official logbooks, continuous synopsis records and prescribed registration/inspection forms. They therefore consolidate the registration, technical safety, operational and crew-related requirements applicable to mechanised sailing vessels in India.
[Notification No. - G.S.R. 814(E)]
