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Procedure for issue of General Trading Licence (GTL) for Indian vessels.
Applicable to:
All Indian shipping companies, MMDs, INSA, and Classification Societies
Effective Date:
03.12.2013
Superseded Circulars:
None mentioned
Key Changes and Requirements
1. General Trading Licence (GTL) Duration — Section 406 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958
GTLs will now be issued for all vessels, including passenger vessels, for a period of 10 years or the shorter period applied by the owner/company, irrespective of Flag State Inspection (FSI) and payment of Seamen Welfare Fund Society (SWFS) dues.
2. Conditions for GTL Issuance
- Undertaking: Shipowners must submit an undertaking to keep all applicable certificates and insurance cover valid at all times. Default may result in automatic suspension of the license.
- Provisional GTL: New or second-hand vessels with a provisional Certificate of Registry or Temporary Pass under section 41 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958 will be issued a provisional GTL valid up to the period of the validity of the provisional registry/temporary pass.
II/4 General Trading Licence (GTL) will be issued for a period of 10 years or the shorter period applied by the owner/company.
Important Note
Non-compliance with the conditions may result in automatic suspension of the license and reversal to the earlier procedure under section 406 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958.
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