Section 315
Use and maintenance of electronic records.
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) Where any provision of this Act or the rules made thereunder provide for—
(a) the filing of any form, application or any other document with any office, authority, body or agency owned or controlled by the Government in a particular manner;
(b) the issue or grant of any certificate, licence, permit, sanction, approval or endorsement, by whatever name called, in a particular manner; or
(c) the receipt or payment of money in a particular manner, then notwithstanding anything contained in such provision, such requirement shall be deemed to have been satisfied if such filing, issue, grant, receipt or payment is effected by means of such electronic form.
(2) The Central Government shall, for the purpose of sub-section (1), prescribe—
(a) the manner and form in which such electronic forms and documents shall be filed, created or issued; and
(b) the manner or method of payment of any fee or charges for filing, creation or issue of any electronic document under clause (a).
(3) Any agreement, record, database, logbooks, record books and such other documents required to be stored, maintained or updated by the Central Government or the Director-General or by any other person under this Act or the rules made thereunder, may be maintained in electronic form.
(a) the filing of any form, application or any other document with any office, authority, body or agency owned or controlled by the Government in a particular manner;
(b) the issue or grant of any certificate, licence, permit, sanction, approval or endorsement, by whatever name called, in a particular manner; or
(c) the receipt or payment of money in a particular manner, then notwithstanding anything contained in such provision, such requirement shall be deemed to have been satisfied if such filing, issue, grant, receipt or payment is effected by means of such electronic form.
(2) The Central Government shall, for the purpose of sub-section (1), prescribe—
(a) the manner and form in which such electronic forms and documents shall be filed, created or issued; and
(b) the manner or method of payment of any fee or charges for filing, creation or issue of any electronic document under clause (a).
(3) Any agreement, record, database, logbooks, record books and such other documents required to be stored, maintained or updated by the Central Government or the Director-General or by any other person under this Act or the rules made thereunder, may be maintained in electronic form.