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A ship may have a medicine chest onboard and still fall short of the new compliance requirements.
The reason is simple. Under the Merchant Shipping (Medicines, Medical Stores, Appliances, and Medical Officers) Rules, 2026, compliance is not limited to buying a list of medicines. Ship operators also need to look at the quantity carried, voyage type, number of people onboard, storage, labels, controlled medicines, inspection records, medical equipment and, in certain cases, the availability of a qualified medical officer.
The Rules were made known by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways through G.S.R. 817(E) dated 16 September 2026 pursuant to Section 113 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 2025. These Rules shall be in operation from the date of their publication in the Official Gazette and shall replace the previous rules regarding medicines and medical stores and those regarding the carriage of medical officers, made in 1994 and 1961, respectively.
For shipowners, masters and vessel managers, the immediate job is not to read the medicine schedule item by item. It is first to determine which part of the Rules applies to the vessel. Once that is clear, the medical inventory and onboard arrangements can be checked against the right scale.
| Particular | Verified Detail |
| Issuing Ministry | Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways |
| Notification | G.S.R. 817(E) |
| Notification Date | 16 September 2026 |
| Rules | Merchant Shipping (Medicines, Medical Stores, Appliances, and Medical Officers) Rules, 2026 |
| Governing Law | Merchant Shipping Act, 2025 |
| Legal Basis | Section 113 |
| Commencement | Date of publication in the Official Gazette |
| Earlier Rules Superseded | 1994 Medicines, Medical Stores and Appliances Rules and 1961 Carriage of Medical Officers Rules |
| Broad Coverage | Specified Indian ships on international voyages and coasting trade |
| Coastal Threshold | 200 gross tonnage or more |
| Inspection Frequency | At least once every 12 months |
| Medical Officer Threshold | More than 100 persons, including crew |
| Key Compliance Areas | Medicines, stores, equipment, records, inspections, infectious-disease response and medical officers |
APPLThese Rules shall apply to ships owned by Indians and operating on international voyages, and also ships operating on coasting voyages with tonnage capacity of 200 GT or above, but with the authority of the Administration to exclude any ship or category of ships from the provisions of these Rules.
These Rules set the minimum shipboard framework for dealing with medical needs at sea.
They cover the obvious things: medicines, first-aid material, and medical equipment, but they go further. They also deal with:
Annexure I itself is divided into medicines, medical stores and appliances, publications, instruments, bandages and dressings, disinfectants, kits, and registers/logs/charts.
This structure means that ship owners receive a valuable piece of information: it is a requirement for medical management on board, not just a purchase of medication.
Merchant Shipping Act, 2025
The Rules have been framed under the Merchant Shipping Act, 2025.
That means the obligations are part of the statutory merchant-shipping framework and should not be treated as optional medical guidance.
The Administration
For these Rules, the “Administration” means the Director-General of Maritime Administration.
The Administration appears at several points in the framework, including vessel-specific application, approval of substitutes and inspection-related matters.
Port Health Officer
The Port Health Officer has a direct operational role. Depending on the provision, this includes:
Medical Guide and Pharmacopoeia
The Rules define the Medical Guide by reference to the Ship Captain's Medical Guide published by the International Maritime Organization and World Health Organization.
They also recognise several official pharmacopoeial sources, including the Indian Pharmacopoeia and National Formulary of India.
Two older sets of rules are superseded:
The 2026 notification brings these subjects into a single framework.
This matters from a compliance point of view because businesses should now review medicine-chest requirements and medical-officer requirements together instead of treating them as separate legacy obligations.
The saving wording in the notification protects things already done or omitted before the supersession.
The first question for any ship operator should be:
Does this vessel actually fall within the Rules?
Indian Ships on International Voyages
The Rules cover Indian ships engaged in international voyages.
Ships in Coasting Trade
The Rules also apply to ships engaged in coasting trade of 200 gross tonnage or more.
Vessel-Specific Modification or Exclusion
Rule 2 also gives the Administration room to specify that the Rules will not apply to a particular ship or class of ships, or that they will apply subject to stated conditions or modifications.
Applicability Matrix
| Vessel Situation | Position | What the Operator Should Check |
| Indian ship on international voyage | Covered under Rule 2 | Relevant Annexure I scale |
| Ship in coasting trade, 200 GT or more | Covered | Coastal scale and voyage duration |
| Vessel subject to Administration direction | May be modified or excluded | Exact direction or condition |
| Chemical cargo ship | Additional review needed | Rule 5 and Annexure II |
| Ship carrying more than 100 persons | Medical officer requirement triggered | Rule 20 |
One medicine list does not apply in the same way to every ship.
The Rules distinguish between:
This classification should be done before any procurement exercise.
For example, a coastal cargo vessel undertaking a voyage of more than 48 hours is linked to a different Annexure I quantity column than a vessel making a coastal voyage of 48 hours or less.
Rule 4 ties the required scale of medicine and equipment to Annexure I.
The Annexure is extensive. It includes ordinary medicines, emergency medicines, medical appliances, publications, instruments, dressings, disinfectants and supporting records.
This is why a practical compliance review should not ask:
“Does the vessel have a medical box?”
The better question is:
“Does the vessel have the correct medical stock, equipment and records for its category and voyage?”
The Annexure begins with individual medicine names, strengths, quantities and remarks. For example, it covers products such as acetylsalicylic acid, rubbing alcohol, ear preparations, antacids, antibiotics and medicines marked for use under radio medical advice.
The required quantity is linked to the Annexure and onboard circumstances.
More Than 40 Persons Onboard
Where the total number of persons onboard exceeds 40, the Rules require an additional set of specified items for every additional 40 persons or part thereof.
This makes onboard headcount a direct factor in stock planning.
Ship Carrying a Medical Officer
Where a ship must carry a medical officer, the specified scale is carried for 99 persons, while the medical officer determines the additional medicines, taking into account the voyage duration and operating area.
Coastal Cargo Voyages
For Indian coastal trade:
Quantity Planning Table
| Situation | Stock Planning Point |
| International voyage | Refer to applicable international-voyage scale |
| More than 40 persons | Additional specified sets required |
| Medical officer onboard | Scale for 99 persons plus additional medicines determined by medical officer |
| Coastal voyage over 48 hours | Apply relevant column (3) scale |
| Coastal voyage 48 hours or less | Apply relevant column (4) scale |
Chemical cargo creates a separate medical-risk profile, and the Rules recognise that.
Rule 5 applies to cargo ships carrying chemicals wholly or partly, or residues of chemical cargoes above the quantities referred to in Volume 1 of the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code.
Such ships must carry the relevant Annexure II medicines in addition to Annexure I stock.
The Annexure II scale is intended to deal with situations such as:
Higher Headcount Means Higher Annexure II Stock
Where the number of persons onboard:
For chemical-cargo operators, medical inventory planning therefore needs input from both the cargo side and vessel management side.
Medicines and medical stores have to meet the applicable official pharmacopoeial specifications.
Rule 6 also recognises a basic reality of operating at sea: humidity can damage medicines.
Tablets and capsules are therefore to be packed, as far as possible, in suitable moisture-resistant packaging to avoid deterioration.
What procurement teams should check
A medicine with an incomplete label can create both safety and compliance problems.
Rule 7 requires labels to be moisture-resistant and contain prescribed information.
| Label Element | Requirement |
| Name | Generic name of preparation in English |
| Dosage | Prescribed maximum and minimum dose |
| Strength | Medicine strength |
| Traceability | Batch number |
| Manufacturing information | Manufacturing date |
| Shelf life | Expiry date |
| Manufacturer | Name and address |
| External-use item | “FOR EXTERNAL USE ONLY” marking |
The Rules expressly address these particulars.
This means medicine-chest checks should include labels, not just the number of strips, bottles, or ampoules onboard.
Poisons and controlled substances cannot be stored like ordinary medicines.
The Rules require these medicines to be clearly marked in capital letters using red lettering or a red background. They must also be kept:
A separate register must also be maintained for poisons and controlled substances.
For the operator, there are therefore three separate checks:
Stock Check
Is the correct medicine available?
Security Check
Is access restricted?
Record Check
Is movement/use properly recorded?
Responsibility is spread across different roles, but the master appears repeatedly throughout the Rules.
The final part of the notification expressly identifies the master, agent, and owner as responsible for implementation of the Rules.
Medical stock cannot be managed informally.
Rule 9 requires the master to maintain an up-to-date record of medicines, medical stores and appliances onboard.
The stock, relevant records and original Medical Chest Certificate must be available for inspection by the Port Health Officer.
In cases where the vessel is unlikely to return to an Indian port during the usual inspection period, certain additional provisions must be made.
Useful Internal Control Table
The Rules do not leave medical stores entirely to self-checking.
Medicines, medical stores, appliances and records have to be inspected at least once every 12 months by the Port Health Officer or Administration. A certificate is then issued in the prescribed format.
What If the Ship Does Not Return to India?
Where a ship is not likely to return to an Indian port within 12 months of its last inspection, the master has to arrange sufficient medicines and record compliance.
For a vessel continuously engaged in international trade without calling at an Indian port for more than 12 months, the Rules provide for annual inspection and certification by a competent foreign port health authority or a recognised medical practitioner in accordance with the Medical Guide.
Areas likely to be checked during an inspection
For operators, inspection readiness should therefore be maintained throughout the year rather than arranged a few days before certification is due.
Yes, but there is a condition.
Where a medicine or medical store listed in Annexure I or II is unavailable, a substitute with closely similar pharmacological action or a preparation meeting the relevant Official Pharmacopoeia standard may be used.
However, substitution requires prior sanction of the Port Health Officer or Administration.
A procurement team should not replace a prescribed medicine simply because a supplier suggests a similar alternative.
The master must be guided by the latest editions of the publications listed in Part III of Annexure I.
These publications deal with subjects such as:
The schedule specifically includes IMO- and WHO-linked publications, among others.
An old medical book kept onboard for years should therefore not automatically be assumed sufficient.
When a ship enters an endemic or epidemic area, the master must carry adequate preventive and curative medicines as advised by the Port Health Officer or Administration.
This provision is separate from the ordinary medicine scale.
Operators planning a voyage to an affected area should therefore check whether additional medical stock has been advised for that route.
Used medical material can create a health and environmental risk if it is mixed with ordinary ship waste.
Rule 13 requires biomedical waste from ships to be disposed of according to Annex V of the MARPOL Convention or applicable biomedical-waste-management guidance issued by the appropriate authority.
The practical compliance point is straightforward: medical-waste handling should form part of the vessel's waste-management procedure.
Medicine stock changes during a voyage, and the Rules deal with what happens next.
Used Medicines
Medicines consumed during the voyage must be replaced at the next port of call.
Shelf Life
Replacement medicines should have at least one year of remaining shelf life from the date of purchase.
Sterile Disposable Packages
These have to be replaced when they are considered unusable by the Port Health Officer or upon expiry, whichever happens first.
Other Medical Stores
Replacement may also be required on the advice of the Port Health Officer.
For procurement teams, this makes “lowest available price” an incomplete buying criterion. Shelf life matters.
The medicine chest should not become an unorganised cupboard.
Rule 15 requires medicines to be stored in suitable lockers or medicine chests so that they do not shift during movement at sea.
Different categories such as:
Medicines should also be easy to identify from their generic name, dosage, strength, manufacturing date and expiry date.
The Rules further require the First-In, First-Out method for stock storage.
A sensible stock-control routine
The first five actions largely support the express storage requirements, the reconciliation step is a practical internal control.
Rule 16 addresses this situation directly.
Before administering a drug, known sensitivity should be checked verbally.
If an adverse reaction occurs:
This is another reason batch numbers and stock records matter.
A normal medicine chest may not meet every personal medical requirement.
Where supernumeraries are carried, including family members where relevant, any special medicines needed for them should be procured in consultation with a qualified medical practitioner.
This becomes particularly relevant where family members or other non-crew persons are joining a longer voyage.
The Rules give the master a clear duty to respond when an infectious disease or event creating a public-health risk is detected onboard.
Treatment
Appropriate treatment should be arranged for the patient.
Isolation
The patient should be isolated.
Preventing Further Spread
Steps should be taken to reduce transmission.
Monitoring Contacts
Persons who have been in contact with the patient should be watched for symptoms.
Sanitation
For cases such as cholera, sanitary disposal of excreta is specifically mentioned.
Reporting to the Next Port
The case must be reported to the Port Health Officer at the next port of call.
Electronic mail is expressly mentioned, with VHF communication, port control or the authorised vessel agent available where required.
The Rules also set specific precautions for HIV/AIDS cases, including safe disposal of syringes and needles, personal protective equipment and reporting arrangements.
The Port Health Officer may exempt a ship from carrying a particular item required under the Rules.
But the exemption has to be:
An operator relying on an exemption should therefore keep the actual exemption document rather than treating verbal advice as sufficient evidence.
This is one of the clearest numerical requirements in the notification.
Every Indian ship carrying more than 100 persons, including crew, must carry a qualified Medical Officer as part of its complement.
That means the threshold is not:
There are more than 100 people in total, including crew.
A vessel expected to operate close to that threshold should check its final complement before sailing.
The person carried as Medical Officer must:
hold a degree in medicine and surgery from a recognised university, and
be duly enrolled as a medical practitioner on the register of the Medical Commission of a State or Union Territory.
The definition section also links the recognised medical degree requirement with the National Medical Commission Act, 2019.
The Annexure goes well beyond medicines.
Part II contains medical stores and appliances such as:
This is why a ship's “medical compliance” audit should inspect physical equipment as well as medicine stock.
Emergency items deserve separate attention because failure is usually discovered only when they are urgently needed.
The schedule includes equipment such as:
The Annexure's instruments section specifically includes an AED kit.
Where equipment has moving parts, regulators, masks, tubing, batteries or consumables, the operator should also check operational condition during internal reviews.
The Annexure provides for a refrigerator of about 60 litres, with:
For vessels purchasing or replacing this equipment, the technical requirement should be checked before placing the order.
| Area | Master | Owner/Operator | Medical Officer | Port Health Officer / Administration |
| Correct onboard medical stock | Operational control | Procurement/support | Additional assessment where applicable | Inspection |
| Medical records | Maintain | Support system | Clinical input where relevant | Review |
| Controlled medicines | Control/access oversight | Support secure storage | Use as medically required | Inspection |
| Inspection | Facilitate | Track compliance | Support | Conduct/certify |
| Infectious-disease event | Immediate response/reporting | Shoreside support | Clinical role where onboard | Receive/reporting oversight |
| Medical officer threshold | Verify complement | Arrange staffing | Serve where required | Regulatory oversight |
Shipowners can use the following checklist as an internal review tool.
Vessel and Voyage
Medical Stock
Storage
Documentation
Inspection
Staffing
A short pre-voyage internal review can prevent several avoidable gaps.
Medicine Stock
Compare physical inventory with the applicable official schedule.
Expiry
Check high-use medicines as well as rarely used emergency stock.
Headcount
Any change in personnel can change the need for medical stock.
Cargo
Certain chemical cargo can invoke Annexure II.
Controlled Medicines
Check locked storage, key security, and documentation.
Medical Equipment
Oxygen, resuscitation and other emergency equipment should be physically checked.
Inspection Status
Confirm that the vessel is within the applicable inspection cycle.
Medical Officer
Check the final complement against the “more than 100 persons” requirement.
This is a practical internal review, not a separate statutory filing process created by the Rules.
Shipowners and Vessel Managers
The biggest change in day-to-day work is the need to manage medical compliance vessel by vessel.
A fleet operator cannot assume that one standard medicine chest will suit:
Masters
Masters carry several direct responsibilities, particularly in relation to records, control of medical stores, storage, response to infectious disease and inspection-related compliance.
Procurement Teams
Medicine purchasing now needs to take account of:
Crewing Teams
Where the complement exceeds 100 individuals, availability of a competent Medical Officer becomes an issue of manning, not just medicine.
Safety and Compliance Teams
Such teams need to integrate medical supplies with inspections, emergency response and public health measures, rather than treat them as separate tasks.
The Gazette doesn’t specify any single standard cost for implementing the Rules.
Costs will be based on how well the ship is currently equipped medically.
Possible cost components may be:
A vessel already carrying much of the prescribed stock may face mainly documentation and gap-filling work. Another vessel may need a larger procurement exercise.
1. Using the Wrong Annexure Column
This can lead to the wrong quantity being stocked.
2. Ignoring Headcount Changes
The medical scale may change once certain thresholds are crossed.
3. Treating Expired Stock as Available Stock
A medicine that cannot safely be used should not be counted merely because it is still in the cabinet.
4. Incomplete Labels
A correct medicine with incomplete identification can still create a compliance problem.
5. Unsecured Controlled Medicines
These need specific secure storage and key management.
6. Annual Inspection Not Performed
The medical stock certificate must be considered like any other vessel compliance date.
7. Unapproved Substitution
A commercially available “equivalent” should not automatically replace a listed medicine.
8. Outdated Reference Material
The Rules refer to the latest editions of listed publications.
9. Ignoring Disease-Reporting Procedures
The reporting route must be determined prior to any incident happening on board.
| Requirement | Timing |
| Notification | 16 September 2026 |
| Rules take effect | Date of Official Gazette publication |
| Medical-store inspection | At least once every 12 months |
| Replacement of consumed medicine | Next port of call |
| Disease reporting | Immediately to Port Health Officer of next port |
| Medical Officer | Required when more than 100 persons, including crew, are onboard |
No general transition period is provided in the Rules. The commencement provision links effectiveness to publication in the Gazette.
For the majority of shipowners, the process can be divided into six realistic stages:
1. Test Applicability
Ensure vessel classification, voyage, tonnage, and any special Administration requirements.
2. Establish the Right Medical Scale
Don't start buying anything until you establish which scale it is.
3. Carry out a Gaps Check at Vessel Level
Test:
4. Eliminate Any Immediate Gaps
Priority should be given to:
5. Create an Ongoing Stock-Control System
Medical compliance should continue between inspections.
A monthly or voyage-based internal review can help identify expiring medicines and stock shortages early.
6. Keep Evidence Ready
A compliant arrangement is easier to demonstrate where records, certificates and inventory documents are current and easy to produce.
The difficult part of the Merchant Shipping Medical Rules 2026 is not reading the notification heading. It is working out which quantity scale, equipment requirement, record, and inspection condition applies to a particular vessel.
Corpseed can support shipowners and vessel operators through maritime regulatory compliance services focused on the actual vessel and its operating profile.
Support may include:
Where several vessels operate under different voyage patterns, Corpseed can also help structure a vessel-wise compliance matrix instead of using one generic checklist across the fleet.
Professional assistance aims to detect deficiencies or non-conformances in the requirements before they affect vessel operations. The results of inspections and certifications, among other factors, continue to depend on the competent authority and the vessel's actual compliance status.
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