Notifying Merchant Shipping Tribunal Members Qualification Experience and Submission of Award Rules 2026 under Merchant Shipping Act 2025
The Gazette of India
CG-DL-E-17102026-277234
EXTRAORDINARY
PART II—Section 3—Sub-section (i)
PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY
No. 821] NEW DELHI, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2026/ASVINA 23, 1948
MINISTRY OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 15th October, 2026
G.S.R. 892(E).— In exercise of the powers conferred by clauses (y) and (z) of sub-section (2) of section 113 read with sub-sections (1) and (7) of section 89 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 2025 (24 of 2025), the Central Government hereby makes the following rules, namely: —
1. Short title and commencement. — (1) These rules may be called the Merchant Shipping (Tribunal Members’ Qualification and Submission of Award) Rules, 2026. (2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.
2. Application. — These rules shall apply to every Tribunal constituted by the Central Government under sub-section (1) of section 89 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 2025.
3. Definitions. — (1) In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires, — (a) “Act” means the Merchant Shipping Act, 2025 (24 of 2025); (b) “Chairperson” means a member of the Tribunal designated as Chairperson by the Central Government under sub-rule (2) of rule 4; (c) “member” means a person notified by the Central Government to be a member of the Tribunal; (d) “Tribunal” means a Tribunal constituted by the Central Government under sub-section (1) of section 89 of the Act. (2) The words and expressions used and not defined in these rules but defined in the Act, shall have the meanings respectively assigned to them in the Act.
4. Qualification for appointment as Member of Tribunal. — (1) A person shall not be qualified for appointment as a member of the Tribunal unless such person has knowledge of maritime matter and has an experience of not less than fifteen years in the field of administration including three years in the maritime sector. (2) Where the Tribunal consists of more than one person, the Central Government may designate one of them as the Chairperson of the Tribunal.
5. Time-limit for passing the award. —
(1) The Tribunal shall dispose of the reference made to it by the Central Government by passing an award within a period of ninety days from the date of reference. Explanation. — For the purposes of this sub-rule, the “date of reference” means the date on which a dispute is referred by the Central Government to the Tribunal under sub-section (1) of section 89 of the Act.
(2) Where the Tribunal is satisfied for reasons to be recorded in writing that, it is not possible to pass the award within the period specified in sub-rule (1), the Central Government may, on a request made by the Tribunal in this behalf, extend such period by a further period not exceeding sixty days.
(3) The Tribunal shall, as soon as practicable after passing the award referred to in sub-rules (1) and (2), as the case may be, submit its award in writing, along with the reasons thereof, to the Central Government.
[F. No. SY-19014/89/2026-MG]
VENKATESAPATHY S., Jt. Secy.
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