1. Short title, extent, application and commencement.—(1) This Act may be called the
Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against Safety of Maritime Navigation and Fixed Platforms on Continental
Shelf Act, 2002.
(2) It extends to the whole of India including the limit of the territorial waters, the continental shelf,
the exclusive economic zone or any other maritime zone of India within the meaning of section 2 of the
Territorial Waters, Continental Shelf, Exclusive Economic Zone and other Maritime Zones Act, 1976
(80 of 1976).
(3) Save as otherwise provided, it shall apply—
(a) to any offence under section 3 committed outside India by any person;
(b) to a ship, if that ship is navigating or scheduled to navigate into, through or from waters
beyond the outer limits of the territorial waters of India, or the lateral limits of its territorial waters
with adjacent States;
(c) when the offence is committed on board a ship in the territorial waters of India or against a
fixed platform located on the Continental Shelf of India.
(4) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (3), this Act shall apply only to offences
committed by an offender or alleged offender,—
(a) when such an offender is found in the territory of a Convention State;
(b) when such an offender is found in the territory of a Protocol State in whose internal water or
territorial waters or continental shelf the fixed platform is located; or
(c) when such an offender is found in the territory of a State other than the State referred to in
clause (a) or clause (b).
(5) It shall come into force on such date1
as the Central Government may, by notification in the
Official Gazette, appoint.
2. Definitions.—In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—
(a) “Code” means the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974);
1. 1st February, 2003, vide notification No. S.O. 115(E), dated 30th, January, 2003, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part
II, sec. 3(ii).
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(b) “Continental Shelf of India” shall have the meaning assigned to it in the Territorial Waters,
Continental Shelf, Exclusive Economic Zone and other Maritime Zones Act, 1976 (80 of 1976);
(c) “Convention” means the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety
of Maritime Navigation, signed at Rome on the10th day of March, 1988 as amended from time to
time;
(d) “Convention State” means a State Party to the Convention;
(e) “fixed platform” means an artificial island, installation or structure permanently attached to
the seabed for the purpose of exploration for, or exploitation of resources or for other economic
purposes;
(f) “Protocol” means the Protocol for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of
Fixed Platforms Located on the Continental Shelf adopted at Rome on the 10th day of March,1988 as
amended from time to time;
(g) “Protocol State” means a State Party to the Protocol;
(h) “ship” means a vessel of any type whatsoever not permanently attached to the seabed and
includes dynamically supported craft, submersibles, or any other floating craft.