Vidhi Codex

The Admiralty (Jurisdiction and Settlement of Maritime Claims) Act, 2017

The Admiralty (Jurisdiction and Settlement of Maritime Claims) Act, 2017

Infrastructure201718 sections4 chapters

The Admiralty Act of 2017 consolidates and updates maritime laws in India. It regulates legal claims tied to marine shipping, such as ownership disputes, vessel collisions, environmental damage, salvage operations, and unpaid crew wages. The law applies to almost all commercial vessels navigating Indian waters, regardless of where their owners reside, while specifically excluding warships and inland boats. This legislation matters because it empowers local High Courts to resolve these complex maritime disputes, even allowing them to arrest and sell a ship to secure pending payments, which ensures a highly structured and reliable legal framework for international sea trade.

Start reading →Read full ActSections

Chapter I PRELIMINARY →

  1. 1Short title, application and commencement.
  2. 2Definitions.

Chapter II ADMIRALTY JURISDICTION AND MARITIME CLAIMS →

  1. 3Admiralty jurisdiction.
  2. 4Maritime claim.
  3. 5Arrest of vessel in rem.
  4. 6Admiralty jurisdiction in personam.
  5. 7Restrictions on actions in personam in certain cases.
  6. 8Vesting of rights on sale of vessels.
  7. 9Inter se priority on maritime lien.
  8. 10Order of priority of maritime claims.
  9. 11Protection of owner, demise charterer, manager or operator or crew of vessel arrested.

Chapter III PROCEDURE AND APPEALS →

  1. 12Application of Code of Civil Procedure.
  2. 13Assistance of assessors.
  3. 14Appeal.
  4. 15Transfer of proceedings by Supreme Court.

Chapter IV MISCELLANEOUS →

  1. 16Power to make rules.
  2. 17Repeal and savings.
  3. 18Power to remove difficulties.

PDF: pending for this language.