Dismisses claims over legal status, new building
PANAJI
The State Government has already initiated the process of establishing the Goa Maritime Board, with a draft Goa Maritime Board Bill prepared and placed under consideration, while a proposal has also been submitted to notify the Captain of Ports (CoP) Department as the State Maritime Board under the Indian Ports Act, 2025, the department said on Tuesday.
The department has further rejected allegations questioning its legal status and the legality of the Terminal Building project.
Clarifying what it termed as factually incorrect claims arising from a misinterpretation of the Indian Ports Act, 2025, the CoP, in a press statement, also said the law itself provides a transition period for states to constitute Maritime Boards.
“The Indian Ports Act, 2025 came into force with effect from April 1, 2026. Section 13(1) of Chapter IV of the Act expressly provides a period of six months from the date of commencement for the State Government to establish a State Maritime Board. Accordingly, the State Government has time up to September 30, 2026 to complete the process,” it said adding the Act also contains provisions to ensure continuity of port administration until a Maritime Board is formally established.
“The Act further provides that where a State Maritime Board has not been constituted, the State Government may notify the existing department or body discharging port functions as the State Maritime Board. Therefore, the Captain of Ports Department continues to function lawfully and there is no legal vacuum as alleged.”
Highlighting the progress made towards compliance with the new legislation, the department said the government had already begun the process of creating the Goa Maritime Board.
“A draft Goa Maritime Board Bill has been prepared after detailed examination of the relevant Central legislation and is under active consideration of the Government. Simultaneously, a proposal has been submitted for notifying the Captain of Ports Department as the State Maritime Board in terms of Section 13(1) of the Indian Ports Act, 2025,” the clarification said.
The department maintained that suggestions that CoP had ceased to exist or was functioning without authority after April 1 were contrary to the law.
“...The contention that the Captain of Ports Department has ceased to exist or lacks legal authority after April 1, 2026 is wholly unfounded and contrary to the express provisions of the law,” it said.
Addressing concerns surrounding the new Terminal Building, the department asserted that all statutory permissions had been secured before execution of the project.
“With regard to the Terminal Building, all requisite statutory clearances, including CRZ clearance, Goa State Pollution Control Board approvals, and water and sewage connection permissions, have been obtained,” the department said.
It further clarified that the structure had been constructed on piles within the jurisdiction of the Captain of Ports without any reclamation of the river area and constituted a permissible port-related activity under applicable Coastal Regulation Zone regulations.
“The Department has also obtained legal advice confirming that separate permissions from planning authorities are not required in the circumstances of the project,” it added.
The CoP also rejected allegations that the proposed inauguration of the Terminal Building by the Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways was cancelled because the Goa Maritime Board had not yet been constituted. “This allegation is entirely baseless, speculative and factually incorrect,” the department said explaining the Union Minister’s visit could not materialise because of unavoidable official engagements that arose at the last moment, necessitating changes to the Minister’s schedule.
The department stressed that the process of constituting a State Maritime Board and the scheduling of official visits by the Union Minister were completely independent matters.
“Any attempt to link the postponement of the Minister’s visit with the status of the Goa Maritime Board is misleading and unsupported by facts,” it said.
