Indigenously built ships to get priority in chartering: Govt

In order to promote Make in India initiative, ships built in the country will now get priority in chartering under a new policy, the government said Monday.

Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari will launch the revised guidelines in this direction on Tuesday.

"In a big step to promote Make in India initiative and incentivise ship-building activity in the country, Ministry of Shipping has revised its guidelines for chartering of ships by providing Right of First Refusal( RoFR) to ships built in India," the shipping ministry said in a statement.

Henceforth, whenever a tendering process is undertaken to charter a vessel, a bidder offering an indigenously-built ship will be given the first priority to match the lowest bidder quote, it said.

The statement said it is expected that the priority given to ships built in India will raise the demand for such vessels, providing them with additional market access and business support.

A policy in this regard will be launched by Gadkari in Mumbai on Tuesday during the inauguration of the two-day Regional Maritime Safety Conference.

Prior to the revision of the guidelines, the RoFR was reserved for Indian flag vessels as per the relevant provisions of Merchant Shipping Act, 1958.

The existing licensing conditions have been reviewed in consonance with India's policy of promoting Make in India initiative, the statement said.

The review is also in line with the need to give a long term strategic boost to the domestic shipbuilding industry.

The shipping ministry has also laid down eligibility conditions and rules for exercise of the RoFR.

One of the rules says: "The RoFR would be exercised only in case the vessel being offered for charter by the lowest bidder has been built outside India."