5 landmark Bills cleared to chart modern course for India's Blue Economy: Minister

New Delhi, Aug 22 (IANS) Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, on Friday said that the Parliament has passed five key bills in the just-concluded Monsoon Session, that overhauled colonial-era maritime laws and will boost the Blue Economy, enhance trade efficiency, and align with global standards.

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 minister wrote on X platform, "A historic moment for Bharat’s maritime journey! For the first time, 5 landmark bills of the Shipping and Waterways Ministry have been passed in one session of Parliament. Under the visionary leadership of PM Narendra Modi, we are shedding colonial-era laws and charting a modern course for our blue economy.

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. It will support the implementation of India-UK (CETA) trade agreements via maritime routes, the minister added.

The Coastal Shipping Bill, 2025, a dedicated law for coastal shipping 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. "PM Modi's Sagarmala vision is unlocking over 11,000 kilometers coastline for greener transport & community development," the minister said.

The Merchant Shipping Bill, 2025, overhauled an outdated 1958 act, ensuring safe, sustainable shipping aligned with global conventions, the minister further said. This bill focuses on seafarer welfare, ship safety and marine environmental protection. It enables expeditious wreck removal and salvage operations.

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. The new bill will ensure ecological safeguards with digital integration, promote transparency and unlock trade potential and investments, the minister added.

–IANS

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