Oil Pollution of the Sea Act, 1956

Discharge of oil into territorial seas and inland waters.

11.—(1) If any oil or oily mixture is discharged (directly or indirectly) into the territorial seas of the State or into its inland waters navigable by sea-going vessels, then, if the discharge is—

(a) from a vessel, the owner and also the master of the vessel,

(b) from a place on land, the occupier of that place,

(c) from apparatus for transferring oil to or from a vessel, the person in charge of the apparatus,

shall be guilty of an offence.

(2) A harbour master may specify a place where the ballast water of a vessel in which a cargo of petroleum spirit has been carried may be discharged into the waters of the harbour at such times and on such conditions as he may direct. The discharge of ballast water containing no oil other than petroleum spirit in accordance with such directions shall not be an offence.