India Charts New Maritime Course with Merchant Shipping Bill, 2025

The Indian Parliament has passed the Merchant Shipping Bill, 2025, following its approval from the Rajya Sabha on Monday. This landmark legislation, championed by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, is set to modernize the maritime framework by aligning domestic laws with global standards and International Maritime Organisation (IMO) conventions. The bill aims to equip India's maritime sector to tackle contemporary and future challenges effectively.

Presented by Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, the bill was previously passed by the Lok Sabha on August 6. Minister Sonowal hailed it as a pivotal move to position India as a reliable maritime trade hub. He emphasized the bill's transformative shift towards an enabling policy environment, designed to bolster investor confidence, improve safety standards, protect marine ecosystems, and fortify India's global maritime standing.

The newly legislated bill replaces the outdated Merchant Shipping Act of 1958, transitioning from a bulky framework of 561 sections to a more streamlined structure of 16 parts and 325 clauses. This legislative reform underscores the government's commitment to transforming India into a maritime powerhouse, fully adopting international conventions, reducing compliance burdens, and invigorating the nation's maritime capabilities.

(With inputs from agencies.)