Mumbai: The Principal Commissioner of Customs (General) has withdrawn the “provisional certificate” issued to Cordelia Cruise ship, known as MV Empress earlier, allowing it to operate as a “coastal vessel” from a “foreign going vessel”.
The order for withdrawal was issued by Superintendent of Customs Anil Gandi in a letter dated October 11, and a copy of the order is with FPJ. Addressed to Saurabh Gadkari of Waterways Leisure Tourism Ltd, which owns MV Empress which was later rechristened as Cordelia when it came to Indian shores, the Customs cited the “non production of requisite license from the Directorate General of Shipping under Section 406 and 407 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958. The letter said the company had applied for conversion from ‘foreign going vessel to coastal vessel’ for MV Empress on September 15, and ‘in good faith’, a ‘provisions certificate’ allowing the conversion was granted in line with the Ease of Doing Business principles and further extended on September 18.
However, the company which was to complete all the formalities within two working days failed to comply even after 25 days and also produce the license from DG shipping under the Merchant Shipping Act provisions. “The requirement of requisite license from Directorate general of Shipping under the provisions of Section 406 and 407 of the Merchant Shipping Act , 1958 is different from than the “Licensing of Ships for Coastal Trading”, the letter said.
