Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, today said that the Parliament has passed five key bills in the just-concluded Monsoon Session, which overhauled colonial-era maritime laws and will boost the Blue Economy.
The new bills are the Bills of Lading 2025, the Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill 2025, the Coastal Shipping Bill 2025, the Merchant Shipping Bill 2025, and the Indian Ports Bill 2025.
The Bills of Lading, 2025, focuses on simplifying legal documents to reduce disputes and improve the ease of doing business. The Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill, 2025, replaced a 1925 Act, adopting Hague-Visby Rules for reduced litigation and stronger international ties.
The Coastal Shipping Bill, 2025, targets reviving India’s 6 per cent modal share, saving around Rs 10,000 crore annually in logistics costs, and also reducing pollution and road congestion. The Merchant Shipping Bill, 2025, overhauled an outdated 1958 act, enabling expeditious wreck removal and salvage operations, the minister further said.
The Indian Ports Bill, 2025, replaced an old 1908 law, created a Maritime State Development Council for better national planning, gave more power to state maritime boards to manage smaller ports, and set up a way to resolve disputes at the state level.
Parliament Passes Five Key Maritime Bills to Boost Blue Economy: Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal
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