Where it appears to the Central Government that by reason of special circumstances it is desirable that permission should be granted to any Indian ship to pass without being previously registered from one port to any other port in India, the Central Government may authorise the registrar of the first-mentioned port to grant a pass in such form as may be prescribed, and that pass shall for the time and within the limits therein mentioned have the same effect as a certificate of registry.

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(1) No Indian ship and no other ship chartered by a citizen of India or a company ¹[or a co-operative Society] shall be taken to sea from a port or place within or outside India except under a licence granted by the Director-General under this section:

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Provided that the Central Government, if it is of opinion that it is necessary or expedient in the public interest so to do, may, by notification in the Official Gazette, exempt any class of ships chartered by a citizen of India or a company ²[or a co-operative Society] from the provisions of this sub-section.

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(2) A licence granted under this section may be

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(a) a general licence;

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(b) a licence for the whole or any part of the coasting trade of India; or

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(c) a licence for a specified period or voyage.

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(3) A licence granted under this section shall be in such form and shall be valid for such period as may be prescribed, and shall be subject to such conditions as may be specified by the Director-General.

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