Limit for charter in of tonnage.

115VV.  (1) In the case of every company which has opted for tonnage tax scheme, not more than forty-nine per cent of the net tonnage of the qualifying ships operated by it during any previous year shall be chartered in.

(2) The proportion of net tonnage referred to in sub-section (1) in respect of a previous year shall be calculated based on the average of net tonnage during that previous year.

(3) For the purposes of sub-section (2), the average of net tonnage shall be computed in such manner as may be prescribed in consultation with the Director-General of Shipping.

(4) Where the net tonnage of ships¹ [“or inland vessels, as the case may be, chartered in” shall be substituted;] exceeds the limit under sub-section (1) during any previous year, the total income of such company in relation to that previous year shall be computed as if the option for tonnage tax scheme does not have effect for that previous year.

(5) Where the limit under sub-section (1) had exceeded in any two consecutive previous years, the option for tonnage tax scheme shall cease to have effect from the beginning of the previous year following the second consecutive previous year in which the limit had exceeded.

Explanation.-For the purposes of this section, the term "chartered in" shall exclude a ship ²[“or inland vessel, as the case may be,”] chartered in by the company on bareboat charter-cum-demise terms.

Notes:-

1. Subsititute by the Finance Bill 2025 dated 01.02.2025 w.e.f 01.04.2026

in sub-section (4), for the words

chartered in

The following shall be subsitituted:-

“or inland vessels, as the case may be, chartered in” shall be substituted;

2.Inserted by the Finance Bill 2025 dated 01.02.2025 w.e.f 01.04.2026