Parliament passes two landmark maritime bills in a single day

Blitz Bureau

NEW DELHI: The Parliament passed two landmark maritime bills, in a first for the Shipping Ministry, paving the way for a modern, efficient and globally aligned maritime policy framework in India. While the Lok Sabha cleared The Merchant Shipping Bill, 2024, aimed at streamlining maritime governance with a modern and internationally compliant approach, the Rajya Sabha passed The Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill, 2025, replacing a century-old colonial-era law with updated legislation designed to promote ease of doing business and make India’s shipping sector future-ready.

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said: “Today is a historic day for all of us at the Ministry. Parliament passed two important legislations — The Merchant Shipping Bill, 2024 and The Carriage of Goods Sea Bill, 2025 — effectively endorsing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to modernise India’s maritime sector.” “With the passage of the two bills, the Modi Government’s push for India’s modern shipping gets double endorsement from Parliament,” he added.

Introducing The Merchant Shipping Bill, 2024 in the Lok Sabha, Sonowal said: “This Bill is a progressive and advanced legislation, up to date with international maritime conventions and informed by the best practices of leading maritime nations.”

The Bill is part of a series of major legal reforms undertaken over the past 11 years under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aimed at enabling robust growth in the shipping and maritime sectors, he said. These reforms have significantly enhanced efficiency, transparency, and global competitiveness. Highlighting the need for an updated framework, the minister noted that the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958, had become bulky, fragmented, and outdated, with 561 sections, failing to address contemporary maritime challenges or fully implement India’s obligations under several key International Maritime Organisation (IMO) conventions.

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