Levy of GST— In this case, a moot point is to be decided as to whether service of transportation of goods from Magdalla Port, Surat to its General Lighterage Area of Magdalla Port (where the Mother Vessel are anchored) or vice versa, is covered under exemption contained at Sr. No. 18 of Notification No. 12/2017- Central Tax (Rate) and as to whether the service of above transportation falls in the definition of ‘Inland waterways’?

Held that—
we find that the applicant is providing service relating to transportation of goods in the water way, i.e. from Magdalla Port to its General Lighterage Area (Anchoring Point of Mother Vessel) or vice versa. This waterway is a part of the Arabian Sea. Whereas, the term “Other waterway on any inland water” covers any canal, river, lake or other navigable water within a State only. The length of the waterway, between which the service of transport is performed by the applicant, is the part of the “Arabian Sea” and not a part of any canal, river, lake or other navigable water within a State. Thus, their contention, that the transportation is being done on the River Tapi, appears to be incorrect.

we conclude that the service of transportation of goods in barrages from mother vessel to daughter vessel from Magdalla Port, Surat to its General Lighterage Area of Magdalla Port is neither covered in the definition of ‘national waterways’, as defined in Clause (h) of section 2 of the Inland Water Ways Authority of India Act, 1985 nor covered in the definition of ‘other waterway on any inland water’, as defined under Clause (b) of Section 2 of the Inland Vessel Act, 1917. Consequently, the same does not qualify for exemption contained at Sr. No. 18 of the Notification No. 12/2017-Central Tax (Rate), dated 28.06.2017.—Shreeji Shipping, In Re… [2020] 24 TAXLOK.COM 049 (AAR-Gujarat)