Section 12. Shipping office.

(1) The Central Government may, by notification, establish a shipping office at every port in India in which it thinks it necessary so to do, and shall as it may consider necessary, appoint thereto--- (a) a shipping master and as many deputy shipping masters and assistant shipping masters as may be required; (b) a director and as many deputy directors and assistant directors as may be required; and (c) seafarer's welfare officers. (2) The Central Government may appoint seafarer's welfare officers at such ports in or outside India as it may consider necessary. (3) The Central Government may direct that at any port at which no separate shipping office is established, the whole or any part of the business of the shipping office shall be conducted at such office as the Central Government may specify, and thereupon the same shall be conducted accordingly.