Section 1 of The Indian Ports Act, 2025: Short title, commencement and application.
About this Act
An Act to consolidate the law relating to ports, promote integrated port development, facilitate ease of doing business and ensure the optimum utilisation of India's coastline; establish and empower State Maritime Boards for effective management of ports other than major ports; establish the Maritime State Development Council for fostering structured growth and development of the port sector; provide for the management of pollution, disaster, emergencies, security, safety, navigation, and data at ports; ensure compliance with India's obligations under international instruments to which it is a party; take measures for the conservation of ports; provide for adjudicatory mechanisms for the redressal of port-related disputes; and address matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
(2) It shall come into force on such date as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint; and different dates may be appointed for different provisions of this Act and any reference in any such provision to the commencement of this Act shall be construed as a reference to the commencement of that provision.
(3) Save as otherwise provided in this Act, the provisions of this Act,—
(a) shall apply to—
(i) all ports to which the provisions of the Indian Ports Act, 1908 applied immediately before the date of commencement of this Act;
(ii) all new ports notified under sub-section (1) of section 11;
(iii) any part of the navigable rivers or channels leading to such ports as may be notified by the appropriate Government in such form and manner as may be prescribed by the Central Government in consultation with the State Government;
(iv) all vessels within port limits; and
(v) all aircrafts making use of any part of the port, while on water, as they apply in relation to vessels; and
(b) shall not apply to—
(i) such port or navigable rivers or channels or vessels or class thereof, as the Central Government may, by notification, specify in this behalf;
(ii) any vessel or aircraft making use of any part of the port belonging to or exclusively servicing, for military or non -commercial service of the Government, the Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard, customs authorities, Central Armed Forces and police and other agencies as may be notified by the Central Government;
(iii) any vessel belonging to or in the service of the Central Government or the State Government; or
(iv) any foreign vessel of war.