Section 118
Obligations to render assistance on receiving signal of distress and to persons in danger.
The Merchant Shipping Act, 2025
About this Act
An Act to consolidate and amend the law relating to merchant shipping to ensure compliance with India's obligation under the maritime treaties and international instruments to which India is a party and also to ensure the development of Indian shipping and efficient maintenance of Indian mercantile marine in a manner best suited to serve the national interest and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
(1) The master of an Indian vessel, on receiving at sea a signal of distress or information from any source that a vessel or aircraft is in distress shall proceed with all speed to the assistance of the persons in distress informing them, if possible, that he is doing so unless he is unable or in the special circumstances of the case considers it unreasonable or unnecessary to do so or unless he is released from such obligation under the provisions of sub-section (3).
(2) Where the master of any vessel in distress has requisitioned any Indian vessel that has answered his call, it shall be the duty of the master of the requisitioned vessel to comply with the requisition by continuing to proceed with all speed to the assistance of the persons in distress unless he is released from the obligation under sub-section (4).
(3) The master shall be released from the obligation imposed by sub-section (1) as soon as he is informed of the requisition of one or more vessels other than his own and that the requisition is being complied with by the vessel or vessels requisitioned.
(4) The master whose ship has been requisitioned under sub-section (2) shall be released from the obligation imposed by that sub-section, on being informed by the persons in distress or by the master of any vessel which has reached the person in distress, that assistance is no longer required.
(5) If the master of an Indian vessel, on receiving at sea a signal of distress referred to in sub-section (1), is unable or in the special circumstances of the case considers it unreasonable or unnecessary to go to the assistance of the persons in distress, he shall forthwith cause a statement to be entered in the official logbook or if there is no official logbook, cause other record to be kept of his reasons for not going to the assistance of those persons.
(6) The master of every Indian vessel for which an official logbook is required, shall enter or cause to be entered in the official logbook every signal of distress or message that a vessel, aircraft or person is in distress at sea.
(7) The master of every Indian vessel shall render assistance to every person found at sea in danger of being lost, unless he is unable to or, in the special circumstance of the case, considers that such assistance cannot be rendered without serious danger to his vessel, or the persons thereon.
(8) If the master of an Indian vessel is unable or consider it unreasonable to go to the assistance of a person found at sea in danger of being lost, the master shall forthwith cause a statement to be entered in the official logbook or, if there is no official logbook, cause other record to be kept of his reasons for not going to the assistance of that person.
(9) The master of the vessel shall take all reasonable measures to report the particulars of any incident relating to safety and security which takes place in the vicinity of the vessel to such authority in such manner as may be prescribed.
(2) Where the master of any vessel in distress has requisitioned any Indian vessel that has answered his call, it shall be the duty of the master of the requisitioned vessel to comply with the requisition by continuing to proceed with all speed to the assistance of the persons in distress unless he is released from the obligation under sub-section (4).
(3) The master shall be released from the obligation imposed by sub-section (1) as soon as he is informed of the requisition of one or more vessels other than his own and that the requisition is being complied with by the vessel or vessels requisitioned.
(4) The master whose ship has been requisitioned under sub-section (2) shall be released from the obligation imposed by that sub-section, on being informed by the persons in distress or by the master of any vessel which has reached the person in distress, that assistance is no longer required.
(5) If the master of an Indian vessel, on receiving at sea a signal of distress referred to in sub-section (1), is unable or in the special circumstances of the case considers it unreasonable or unnecessary to go to the assistance of the persons in distress, he shall forthwith cause a statement to be entered in the official logbook or if there is no official logbook, cause other record to be kept of his reasons for not going to the assistance of those persons.
(6) The master of every Indian vessel for which an official logbook is required, shall enter or cause to be entered in the official logbook every signal of distress or message that a vessel, aircraft or person is in distress at sea.
(7) The master of every Indian vessel shall render assistance to every person found at sea in danger of being lost, unless he is unable to or, in the special circumstance of the case, considers that such assistance cannot be rendered without serious danger to his vessel, or the persons thereon.
(8) If the master of an Indian vessel is unable or consider it unreasonable to go to the assistance of a person found at sea in danger of being lost, the master shall forthwith cause a statement to be entered in the official logbook or, if there is no official logbook, cause other record to be kept of his reasons for not going to the assistance of that person.
(9) The master of the vessel shall take all reasonable measures to report the particulars of any incident relating to safety and security which takes place in the vicinity of the vessel to such authority in such manner as may be prescribed.