The Merchant Shipping Act, 1958

Section 332. Carriage of grain

In force · As amended up to 2026-08

332. Carriage of grain .―(1) Where grain is loaded on board any Indian ship anywhere or is loaded within any port in India on board any other ship, all necessary and reasonable precautions shall be taken to prevent the grain from shifting; and if such precautions as aforesaid are not taken, the owner or the master of the ship or any agent of the owner who was charged with the loading or with sending the ship to sea laden with grain shall be guilty of an offence under this sub-section and the ship shall be deemed for the purposes of this Part to be unsafe by reason of improper loading. (2) Where any ship which is loaded with grain outside India without all necessary and reasonable precuations having been taken to prevent the grain from shifting, enters any port in India so laden, the owner or master of the ship shall be guilty of an offence under this sub-section and the ship shall be deemed for the purposes of this Part to be unsafe by reason of improper loading. 2[(2A) Where grain is loaded on board an Indian ship in accordance with a grain loading plan approved under section 331A or where grain is loaded on board any other ship in accordance with a grain-loading plan approved by or on behalf of the Government of the country in which that ship is registered, the ship shall be deemed, for the purposes of sub-sections (1) and (2), to have been loaded with all necessary and reasonable precautions.] (3) On the arrival at a port in India from a port outside India of any ship carrying a cargo of grain, the master shall cause to be delivered at the port to such customs or other officer as may be specified by the Central Government in this behalf, a notice stating- (a) the draught of water and free board of the said ship after the loading of the cargo was completed at the final port of loading;[3] * 4[(b) the kind of grain carried and quantity thereof stated in cubic feet, quarters, bushels or tons weight; and 1. Ins. by Act 21 of 1966, s. 27 (w.e.f. 28-5-1966). 2. Ins. by s. 28, ibid. (w.e.f. 28-5-1966).

Source: India Code

How this section changed

  1. inserted by Act 21 of 1966, s. 28

    In force from 28 May 1966

    Footnote: 2. Ins. by s. 28, ibid. (w.e.f. 28-5-1966).