(1) The Central Government shall, within a period of two years from the date of commencement of this Act, by notification, publish a National Coastal and Inland Shipping Strategic Plan for the purposes of this Act, which shall be updated every two years by a like notification.
(2) The Strategic Plan shall include the following, namely:---
(a) assessment of the condition of coastal shipping routes in India including routes occupied by inland waterways;
(b) identification of the operational improvements required in coastal shipping, including those by way of integration with inland waterway routes, in order to make coastal maritime transport a cost-efficient mode of transportation for goods and passengers;
(c) long term forecasts of traffic on coastal shipping and inland waterways network;
(d) identification of best practices for improving the performance of coastal shipping including the synergy presented by inland waterway routes and other modes of transportation;
(e) identification of new routes for coastal shipping and integration thereof with inland waterways and existing coastal shipping routes;
(f) measures for the promotion of building, registration and participation of Indian vessels in coastal shipping in India;
(g) recommendations regarding the conditions subject to which vessels registered under the Inland Vessels Act, 2021 (24 of 2021), may engage in coasting trade of India; and
(h) such other matters as may be prescribed.
(3) The Central Government shall constitute a committee consisting of the following members for preparing the Strategic Plan, namely:---
(a) Director-General of Shipping---Chairperson, ex officio;
(b) Chairman, Inland Waterways Authority of India constituted under section 3 of the Inland Waterways Authority of India Act, 1985 (82 of 1985)---Member, ex officio;
(c) one representative of each Board of Major Port Authority constituted under sub-section (1) of section 3 of the Major Port Authority Act, 2021 (1 of 2021)---Members;
(d) one representative of the National Security Council Secretariat---Member;
(e) one representative of each State Maritime Board or any other body responsible for the administration of ports other than major ports, in a State or Union territory---Members;
(f) two representatives to represent ship owners---Members;
(g) two representatives of seafarers---Members; and
(h) such other persons having expertise in the field of coastal trade, mercantile and marine trade or maritime sector, as the Central Government may deem necessary---Members.
(4) The committee shall meet at such time and place, and shall observe such procedure for the transaction of business at its meetings including the quorum at such meetings, as may be prescribed.
(5) The committee shall prepare a draft of the Strategic Plan for consideration and approval of the Central Government and the Central Government shall, after considering the draft Strategic Plan, approve the Plan with or without modifications.
(6) The Central Government shall make available the Strategic Plan on its website for public access.