Section 212
Definitions.
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) In this Chapter, unless the context otherwise requires,—
(a) “associated person” includes any subsidiary or commonly controlled entity or such person as may be prescribed;
(b) “contributing oil” means crude oil and fuel oil.
Explanation.—For the purposes of this clause,—
(i) “crude oil” means any liquid hydrocarbon mixture occurring naturally in the earth whether or not treated to render it suitable for transportation and includes crude oils from which certain distillate fractions are removed (sometimes referred to as topped crudes) or to which certain distillate fractions are added (sometimes referred to as spiked or reconstituted crudes);
(ii) “fuel oil” means heavy distillates or residues from crude oil or blends of such materials intended for use as a fuel for the production of heat or power of a quality equivalent to the “American Society for Testing and Materials’ Specification for Number Four Fuel Oil (Designation D 396-69)”, or heavier;
(c) “Fund” means the International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund, 1992 established under Article 2 of the Fund Convention;
(d) “Fund Convention” means the International Convention on the establishment of an International Fund for Compensation for Oil Pollution Damage, 1992, including protocols, if any, to which India is a party;
(e) “guarantor” means any person providing insurance or other financial security to cover the owner’s liability;
(f) “ton”, in relation to oil, means a metric ton.
(2) The words or expressions used in this Chapter but not defined shall have the meanings respectively assigned to them in the Civil Liability Convention.
(a) “associated person” includes any subsidiary or commonly controlled entity or such person as may be prescribed;
(b) “contributing oil” means crude oil and fuel oil.
Explanation.—For the purposes of this clause,—
(i) “crude oil” means any liquid hydrocarbon mixture occurring naturally in the earth whether or not treated to render it suitable for transportation and includes crude oils from which certain distillate fractions are removed (sometimes referred to as topped crudes) or to which certain distillate fractions are added (sometimes referred to as spiked or reconstituted crudes);
(ii) “fuel oil” means heavy distillates or residues from crude oil or blends of such materials intended for use as a fuel for the production of heat or power of a quality equivalent to the “American Society for Testing and Materials’ Specification for Number Four Fuel Oil (Designation D 396-69)”, or heavier;
(c) “Fund” means the International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund, 1992 established under Article 2 of the Fund Convention;
(d) “Fund Convention” means the International Convention on the establishment of an International Fund for Compensation for Oil Pollution Damage, 1992, including protocols, if any, to which India is a party;
(e) “guarantor” means any person providing insurance or other financial security to cover the owner’s liability;
(f) “ton”, in relation to oil, means a metric ton.
(2) The words or expressions used in this Chapter but not defined shall have the meanings respectively assigned to them in the Civil Liability Convention.