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Polity & Governance
Mahesh

07/08/25 08:45 AM IST

Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill, 2025

In News 
  • In a historic development, Parliament recently passed two landmark maritime bills — a first for the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) — paving the way for a modern, efficient and globally aligned maritime policy framework in India. 
Merchant Shipping Bill, 2025
  • The Merchant Shipping Bill, 2025 — a progressive, future-ready legislation that replaces the outdated Merchant Shipping Act of 1958.
  • The Bill marks a significant step towards aligning India’s maritime legal framework with global standards and strengthening the country’s position as a trusted maritime trade hub.
  • The Merchant Shipping Act, 1958 had become bulky, fragmented, and outdated with 561 sections, failing to address contemporary maritime challenges or fully implement India’s obligations under several key International Maritime Organization (IMO) conventions.
  • The Merchant Shipping Bill, 2025, with 16 Parts and 325 clauses, modernises India’s maritime legal framework by aligning with international conventions, enhancing safety at sea, improving emergency response, and ensuring environmental protection.
  • It reduces compliance burdens, promotes Indian tonnage, and prioritises seafarer welfare and ship safety.
  • The Bill aims to make India a globally respected maritime jurisdiction and unlock sustainable growth, investment, and innovation in the sector.
Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill, 2025
  • The Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill, 2025, repealed the century-old Indian Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, 1925.
  • The Bill adopts the Hague-Visby Rules, a globally accepted maritime standard also followed by countries like the United Kingdom.
  • The legislation is expected to simplify maritime trade laws, reduce litigation risks, and enhance transparency and commercial efficiency in cargo movement by sea.
  • The Bill was introduced in the Rajya Sabha by Shantanu Thakur, the Union Minister of State for Shipping in the Rajya Sabha.
  •  The new legislation is part of the government’s broader effort to modernise India’s legal framework by eliminating outdated colonial-era laws and aligning with global best practices to improve ease of doing business.
  • The repeal of this pre-Constitution era legislation and its replacement with a new legislation is a part of the greater initiative of this Government to rid ourselves of all vestiges of colonial mindset and to ensure ease of understanding and ease of doing business through simple and rationalised laws.
  • The bill is a key step in making India’s maritime trade laws future-ready and compatible with international trade agreements, including the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with the U.K. 
Source- PIB 

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