State Act

The West Bengal Maritime Board Act, 2000

31. (1) When any dock, berth, wharf, quay, stage, jetty, pier or place of anchorage, erected at any port or port approaches under the provisions of this Act, has been completed with sufficient warehouses, sheds and appliances for receiving, landing or shipping goods or passengers from and upon seagoing vessels, the Board may, after obtaining the approval of the Collector of Customs and by two consecutive notifications, declare that such dock, berth, wharf, quay, stage, jetty, pier or place of anchorage is ready for receiving, landing, or shipping goods or passengers from and upon seagoing vessels. (2) With effect from the date of the publication of the notification for the second time under sub-section (1), it shall be lawful for the Board from time to time, when there is room at such dock, berth, wharf, quay, stage, jetty, pier or place of anchorage, to make an order directing any seagoing vessel within the port or port approaches, which has not commenced to discharge goods or passengers or which being about to take in goods or passengers has not commenced to do so, to come alongside of such dock, berth, wharf, quay, stage, jetty, pier or place of anchorage for the purpose of discharging goods or passengers or for taking in goods or passengers, as the case may be: Provided that before making such order, the Board shall have regard as far as possible to the convenience of such vessel and of the shippers in respect of the use of any particular dock, berth, whaf, quay, stage, jetty, pier or place of anchorage: Provided further that if the Board is not the Conservator, the Board shall not itself make the order as aforesaid but shall require the Conservator or any other person exercising the rights, powers and authorities of the Conservator to make such order.