Parliament Passes Merchant
Shipping Bill, 2025 after Rajya Sabha Adoption
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“Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways Achieves
Historic First with Four Key Maritime Reform Bills Passed in ongoing Parliament
session”
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“Revitalised Maritime Policy Framework to Drive Atmanirbhar Vision Towards PM Narendra Modi ji’s Goal of ‘Viksit Bharat’
Parliament Passes Merchant Shipping Bill,
2025 to Modernise India’s Maritime Framework
The Parliament has passed the Merchant Shipping Bill, 2025,
with Rajya Sabha approval on 11
August 2025 following Lok Sabha clearance on 6 August 2025. The
legislation, tabled by Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal,
replaces the Merchant
Shipping Act, 1958 to align India’s maritime laws with International Maritime Organisation
(IMO) conventions and global best practices.
The new law streamlines the framework from 561 sections to 16 parts and 325 clauses,
focusing on:
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Reducing compliance burdens to improve ease of doing
business
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Enhancing navigation safety and life-at-sea protection
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Safeguarding the marine environment
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Boosting tonnage under the Indian flag
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Strengthening emergency preparedness and salvage operations
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Protecting India’s coastline and maritime interests
Sonowal called it a “decisive
step” towards making India a trusted
maritime trade hub, shifting from regulation to an enabling policy environment
to attract investment, generate jobs, and drive sustainable growth.
The Parliament passed the Merchant Shipping Bill, 2025
as the Rajya Sabha approved the bill on 11 August, 2025. The bill is a landmark
legislation aimed at modernising India’s maritime framework, aligning domestic laws
with international best practices & International Maritime Organisation (IMO)
conventions, ensuring that India’s maritime sector remains equipped, ready and relevant
to the contemporary and future challenges. The bill was presented for consideration
by the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW),
Sarbananda Sonowal in the Rajya
Sabha, as the bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on August 6 during the ongoing session.
The Union Minister Sarbananda
Sonowal called the Bill “a decisive step towards positioning
India as a trusted maritime trade hub. This Bill marks a transformative shift from
a regulatory-heavy approach to an enabling policy environment that will boost investor
confidence, enhance safety standards, protect our marine ecosystem, and strengthen
India’s position as a maritime power,”Mr. Sonowal said. “It incorporates global
best practices, reduces compliance burdens, and ensures comprehensive adoption of
our international commitments — all of which will catalyse growth and sustainability
in the sector. Led by the vision of PM Narendra Modi Ji, this Bill replaces an outdated,
bulky framework with a progressive, streamlined law that will boost India’s bankability
as a maritime hub, increase tonnage under our flag, reduce compliance burden &
secure our coastline”
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) has set a new benchmark in legislative reform, steering
through a record number of maritime sector legislations in a single Parliament session.
The historic feat underscores the government’s commitment to transforming India
into a global maritime leader and building a robust foundation for a Viksit Bharat.
Replacing the bulky and outdated Merchant Shipping Act,
1958, which had 561 sections, the new Bill offers a streamlined framework of 16
parts and 325 clauses. It ensures comprehensive adoption of India’s obligations
under major international conventions, reduces compliance burdens to improve ease
of doing business, enhances safety in navigation and life at sea, safeguards the
marine environment, strengthens emergency preparedness and salvage operations, boosts
tonnage under the Indian flag, and protects India’s coastline and maritime interests.
“Under the dynamic leadership of PM Narendra Modi ji,
India’s maritime sector is being empowered with a forward-looking, enabling policy
framework and future ready that is geared to make the nation a leading maritime
power in the world,” Sarbananda Sonowal added. “Our ports, shipping, and waterways are now
poised to shoulder a much greater share of global trade, driving economic growth,
generating employment, and contributing directly to the vision of a Viksit Bharat.”
The Ministry has emphasised that the focus is shifting
from mere regulation to enablement, thereby increasing India’s “bankability”
as a maritime jurisdiction. This approach is designed to attract greater global
investment, generate employment, and create an environment for sustainable growth.
The legislative drive — the most comprehensive in the
Ministry’s history — complements India’s emergence as one of the world’s largest
suppliers of seafarers and a key player in global shipping routes. “With these
reforms, India is not just keeping pace with global maritime standards; we are setting
the stage for our ports, shipping, and waterways to play a central role in India’s
journey towards becoming a developed nation,” Sarbananda
Sonowal said.