The Inland Vessels Act, 1917 has been enacted to consolidate the enactments relating to Inland Vessels. According to the provisions of this Act, ‘inland vessel’ or ‘inland mechanically propelled vessel’ means a mechanically propelled vessel which ordinarily plies on any inland water; ‘inland water’ means any canal, river, lake or other navigable water and ‘mechanically propelled vessel’ means every description of vessel propelled wholly or in part by electricity, steam or other mechanical power. The Act prohibits Inland mechanically propelled vessels to proceed on voyage or to be used for service without certificate of survey. An inland mechanically propelled vessel shall not proceed on any voyage, or be used for any service unless she has a certificate of survey in force and applicable to such voyage or service. The Act empowers the State Governments to appointment surveyors and places of survey. For the purposes of a survey, the surveyor has been authorized to go on board any inland mechanically propelled vessel and inspect the mechanically propelled vessel and every part thereof.
