Sri Lanka Ports Authority Act (No. 51 of 1979)

Sri Lanka Consolidated Acts

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Sri Lanka Ports Authority Act (No. 51 of 1979) - Sect 7

Powers of the Ports Authority

(1) Subject to this Act, the Ports Authority may exercise all or any of the following powers :-

	(a) to acquire, hold, take on lease to give on lease, hire, pledge and sell or otherwise dispose of any movable or Immovable property;

	(b) to employ such officers and servants as may be necessary for carrying out the work of the Authority;

(c) to do anything for the purpose of improving the efficiency of port operations and advancing the skill of persons employed by the Authority or the efficiency of the equipment of the Authority or the manner in which the equipment Is operated, including the provision by the Authority and the assistance of the provision by others, of facilities for training persons required to carry out the work of the Authority ;

	(d) to establish an insurance scheme, a provident fund, a welfare fund and a lines fund and to provide welfare, health and recreational facilities, houses, hostels and other like accommodation for persons employed by the Authority ;

	(e) to make rules in relation to the officers and servants of the Authority including their appointment, promotion, remuneration, discipline, conduct, leave, working times, holidays and the grant of loans and.

	(f) to make rules and prescribe procedures in respect of the administration of the affairs of the Authority;

	(g) to delegate to the Chairman or to any member or officer of the Authority any such functions as the Authority may consider necessary to delegate for the efficient transaction of business :

	(h) to establish, maintain and operate within the limits of any specified port, a security service for protecting port installations, equipment, cargo and vessels within such port and for enforcing the provisions of this Act;

	(i) to acquire any undertaking affording facilities for the loading and discharging or warehousing of goods in any specified port or the bunkering of vessels in such port;

(j) to carry on the functions of builders and repairers of vessels and machinery, removers or salvagers of wrecks, ship breakers, carriers of passengers, vehicles and goods by land or sea, stevedores, wharfingers, warehousemen, lightermen, dealers in coal and other kinds of fuel, suppliers of water and stores to shipping and dealers in stores and equipment connected with, or required for, any of the aforesaid activities;

	(k) to operate and maintain a rail transport system within the limits of any specified port;

	(l) to control the berthing and movement of all vessels whether in the harbour or in the approaches to or alongside any quay, wharf, pier or landing place within the limits of any specified port and to divert vessels to any specified port;

	(m) to enter into, and perform, directly or through any officer or agent authorised in that behalf by the Authority, all such contracts as may be necessary for the performance of the functions and the exercise of the powers of the Authority ;

	(n) subject to this Act, to levy such port dues, fees and other charges upon vessels, goods, vehicles and in respect of services within the limits of any specified port and upon cargo loaded, discharged or kept in such port as it may deem necessary ;

	(o) to construct, maintain and operate all means and appliances for berthing, loading and dismooring within any specified port;

	(p) to provide and use, within the territorial waters of Sri Lanka or otherwise, vessels and appliances for the purpose of protecting, guiding and communicating with vessels or towing and rendering assistance to any vessel or for recovering any property lost, sunk or stranded ;

	(q) to provide such fire services both within any specified port and on the high seas, as may be deemed necessary by the Authority for the purpose of extinguishing fires on land, on sea or afloat and of preserving life and property;

	(r) to appoint, license and regulate weighers and measurers and surveyors of goods within any specified port;

	(s) to arrange for insurance of goods in the premises of the Authority;

	(t) subject to this Act, to borrow money (whether by way of overdraft or in any other manner) from any person, organisation or institution within or outside Sri Lanka or from the Government;

	(u) to control the use of, and to issue licences in respect of all craft, equipment, vehicles and services that are operated within the limits of any specified port;

	(v) to survey, plan and execrate maritime engineering works for Government departments, public corporations and for other bodies approved by the Minister;

	(w) to clean, deepen or improve any portion of any specified port and, for any of such purposes to construct, maintain and operate dredgers and other appliances and to make hydrographic surveys;

	(x) to reclaim, enclose, raise, drain and excavate any area falling within the limits of any specified port or belonging to the Authority;

	(y) to maintain, repair, erect, cause to be erected and to control the erection and use of piers, breakwaters, bridges, wharfs, docks, warehouses, stores, offices, shops, dwellings and any other buildings or works within the limits of, or the approaches to, any specified port and to install and maintain coast lights and other means of protecting and guiding vessels;

(z) to provide or cause to be provided, the following services within the limits of, and the approaches to, any specified port:

(i) the berthing, towing, mooring, moving, slipping or docking of any vessel including pilotage;

(ii) the loading or discharging of any vessel including all ancillary services;

(iii) the sorting, weighing, measuring, storing, were housing or otherwise handling of any goods;

(iv) radio communication between the specified ports and between ships and such ports ;

(v) transport services and other facilities for port users and for employees of the Authority;

(vi) the handling of petroleum, petroleum products and lubricating oil to and from vessels and between all depots and bunkers.;

(vii) the supply of electricity and telephone services to vessels;

(viii) the disposal of garbage from ships; and

(ix) tally and protective services;;

	(aa) to construct, manufacture, purchase, operate, maintain and repair anything required for the purposes of the business of the Authority.-;

	(ab) to co-ordinate and execute any Government project relating to the establishment of a free trade zone in any specified port and to enter into any agreement with port users for the utilization of such facilities;

	(ac) to control the entry of vehicles, persons, goods and animals within the limits of any specified port and to regulate their movements within such limits;

	(ad) to engage in such other activities, and do such other things as appear to the Authority to be beneficial, necessary or convenient for it to carry on, for or In connection with the exercise, performance and discharge of its powers, functions and duties under this Act ; and

	(ae) to do all other things which, in the opinion of the Authority, are necessary for carrying on its business.

(2) The provisions of subsection (1) shall not be construed as authorising the disregard by the Ports Authority of any law for the time being in force.

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