For the purposes of this Chapter, a ship ³⁸[or inland vessel, as the case may be,] is a qualifying ship if—

(a) it is a seagoing ship or vessel ³⁸[, or inland vessel, as the case may be,] of fifteen net tonnage or more;

(b) it is a ship registered under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958 (44 of 1958), or a ship registered outside India in respect of which a licence has been issued by the Director-General of Shipping under section 406 or section 407 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958 (44 of 1958) ³⁹[or an inland vessel registered under the Inland Vessels Act, 2021 (24 of 2021), as the case may be]; and

(c) a valid certificate in respect of such ship ³⁹[or inland vessel, as the case may be,] indicating its net tonnage is in force, but does not include—

(i) a seagoing ship or vessel ³⁹[or inland vessel, as the case may be,] if the main purpose for which it is used is the provision of goods or services of a kind normally provided on land;

(ii) fishing vessels;

(iii) factory ships;

(iv) pleasure crafts;

(v) harbour and river ferries;

(vi) offshore installations;

(vii) [***]

(viii) a qualifying ship which is used as a fishing vessel for a period of more than thirty days during a previous year.