This notification, S.O. 950(E), issued by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs on March 21, 2017, exempts Vessel Sharing Agreements (VSAs) within the Liner Shipping Industry from Section 3 of the Competition Act, 2002. This exemption is granted under Section 54(a) of the Act and is effective for a period of three months, commencing March 21, 2017.
The exemption applies to carriers of all nationalities operating ships of any nationality from Indian ports, provided the VSAs do not involve concerted practices related to price fixing, capacity or sales limitations, or market/customer allocation.
During this three-month period, the Director General of Shipping, Ministry of Shipping, Government of India, is responsible for monitoring these agreements. Operators of ships in India are required to file copies of both existing and new VSAs (entered into with applicability during the exemption period) along with relevant documents. The filing deadline is within thirty days of the notification's publication in the Official Gazette or within ten days of signing the agreement, whichever is later.
The notification was issued under F. No. 5202011/CS and signed by K. V. R. Murty, Joint Secretary.
Key Entities Referenced
Competition Act, 2002: A law enacted by the Indian Parliament to promote competition and prevent anti-competitive practices.
Central Government: The executive authority of the Republic of India.
Vessels Sharing Agreements: Agreements between Liner Shipping Industry companies to share vessel space.
Liner Shipping Industry: The industry involved in transporting goods via shipping lines.
Section 3: A section of the Competition Act, 2002 that prohibits anti-competitive agreements.
Director General, Shipping, Ministry of Shipping: The government authority responsible for overseeing shipping activities in India.
Indian port: Any port located within the territory of India.
K. V. R. Murty: Joint Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
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PART II—Section 3—Sub-section (ii)
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No. 849] NEW DELHI, FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 2017/CHAITRA 3, 1939
कारपोरेट काय र् म(cid:7074)ं ालय
अिधसचू ना
नई िदल्ली, 21 माचर्, 2017
का.आ. 950(अ).—क(cid:7286)(cid:7076)ीय सरकार, (cid:7079)ितस् पधार् अिधिनयम, 2002 (2003 का 12) की धारा 54 के खंड (क) (cid:7367)ारा
(cid:7079)दत् त शिक् तय(cid:7298) का लोक िह त म(cid:7286) (cid:7079)योग करते हुए, लाइनर पोत पिर वहन उ(cid:7378)ोग के जलयान िह स् सेदारी करार को तीन माह की
अविध जो 21 माचर्, 2017 से लागू होगी के िल ए िक सी भी भारतीय पत् तन से िक सी राष् (cid:7069)ीयता के सभी राष् (cid:7069)(cid:7298) के (cid:7079)चािल त
पोत(cid:7298) की बाबत उक् त अिध िन यम की धारा 3 के उपबंध(cid:7298) से छूट (cid:7079)दान करती ह,ै परंतु ऐसे करार(cid:7298) के अंतगर्त ऐसे सि(cid:7013) म िल त
व् यवहार नह(cid:7277) ह(cid:7298)गे िज सम(cid:7286) कीमत िन यत करना, क्षमता या िव (cid:7059)य को सीिम त करना और बाजार(cid:7298) या (cid:7061)ाहक(cid:7298) का आबंटन
अंतवर्िलत ह ै।
उक् त तीन माह की अविध के दौरान, भारत सरकार के पोत पिर वहन मं(cid:7074)ालय, पोत पिर वहन के महािन देशक, ऐसे
करार(cid:7298) को मानीटर कर(cid:7286)गे और भारत म(cid:7286) ऐसे पोत(cid:7298) के (cid:7079)चालन के िल ए उत् तरदायी व् यिक् त य(cid:7298), िव (cid:7378)मान जलयान िह स् सेदारी
करार(cid:7298) या िक ए जाने वाले जलयान िह स् सेदारी करार(cid:7298) की (cid:7079)ित य(cid:7298) को, उक् त अविध के दौरान (cid:7079)योजनी यता के साथ अन् य
सुसंगत दस् तावेज(cid:7298) को राजप(cid:7074) म(cid:7286) इस अिध सूचना के (cid:7079)काशन की तारीख से तीस िद न के भीतर या ऐसे करार(cid:7298) पर हस् ताक्षर
िक ए जाने के दस िद न के भीतर, जो भी पश् चात् वत(cid:7278) हो, महािन दशे क, पोत पिर वहन को फाइल कर(cid:7286)गे ।
[फा. सं. 5/20/2011-सीएस]
के. वी. आर. मूित, संयुक् त सिचव
1680 GI/2017 (1)2 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA : EXTRAORDINARY [PART II—SEC. 3(ii)]
MINISTRY OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 21st March, 2017
S.O. 950(E).—In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (a) of section 54 of the Competition
Act, 2002 (12 of 2003), the Central Government, in public interest, hereby exempts the Vessels Sharing
Agreements of Liner Shipping Industry from the provisions of section 3 of the said Act, for a period of three
months with effect from the 21st March, 2017, in respect of carriers of all nationalities operating ships of any
nationality from any Indian port provided such agreements do not include concerted practices involving fixing
of prices, limitation of capacity or sales and the allocation of markets or customers.
During the said period of three months, the Director General, Shipping, Ministry of Shipping,
Government of India shall monitor such agreements and for which, the persons responsible for operations of
such ships in India shall file copies of existing Vessels Sharing Agreements or Vessels Sharing Agreements to
be entered into with applicability during the said period along with other relevant documents within thirty
days of the publication of this notification in the Official Gazette or within ten days of signing of such
agreements, whichever is later, with the Director General, Shipping.
[F. No.5/20/2011-CS]
K. V. R. MURTY, Jt. Secy.
Uploaded by Dte. of Printing at Government of India Press, Ring Road, Mayapuri, New Delhi-110064
and Published by the Controller of Publications, Delhi-110054.