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Two Landmark Maritime Bills pertaining to Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Passed | Current Affairs | Vision IAS
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Two Landmark Maritime Bills pertaining to Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Passed

Posted 07 Aug 2025

2 min read

While Lok Sabha cleared the ‘Merchant Shipping Bill, 2025’, Rajya Sabha passed the ‘Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill, 2025’

  • Former seeks to align India’s maritime laws with international conventions like MARPOL and Wreck Removal Convention, the latter promotes ease of doing business.

Key Highlights of the Bills

  • Merchant Shipping Bill, 2025 (Replacing Merchant Shipping Act, 1958)
    • Mandatory Registration for all Vessels: Regardless of type of propulsion or weight.
      • Introduces temporary registration of vessels for recycling. 
    • Expands Definition of Vessels: To include types like mobile offshore drilling units, submersibles, and non-displacement crafts.
    • Ownership Criteria: Relaxed to include vessels partly owned by Indian Citizens, company/body established as per Indian laws, registered cooperative societies, Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs), etc. 
    • National Shipping Board and National Welfare Board for Seafarers: Retains provisions on these from the Act. 
    • Renames Director-General of Shipping to Director-General of Marine Administration: Empowered to regulate maritime education and training.
    • Expands Seafarer Agreements: To include more parties, ensures social security access for seafarers. 
    • Preventing Pollution at Sea: Mandates Pollution certificate for all vessels irrespective of tonnage.
  • Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill, 2025’ (Replacing Indian Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, 1925)
    • Adopts the Hague-Visby Rules (1924): Along with its subsequent amendments  a globally accepted maritime standard. 
    • Role of Central Government: To issue directions and amend rules related to Bills of Lading.
      • It is a document issued by a freight carrier to a shipper containing details like type, quantity, condition, and destination of goods carried.
  • Tags :
  • Merchant Shipping
  • Carriage of Goods by Sea
  • Bills of Lading
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