{"id":58493,"date":"2025-08-07T11:04:55","date_gmt":"2025-08-07T05:34:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=58493"},"modified":"2025-08-07T11:22:43","modified_gmt":"2025-08-07T05:52:43","slug":"merchant-shipping-bill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/merchant-shipping-bill\/","title":{"rendered":"Merchant Shipping Bill &#8211; Modernising India\u2019s Maritime Law"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Maritime Law Latest News<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Parliament has passed the Merchant Shipping Bill, 2024 and the Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill, 2025, to modernise India\u2019s maritime laws and align them with global standards.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Introduction<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In a significant move to overhaul India\u2019s maritime legal infrastructure, Parliament has passed two landmark legislations: the <\/span><b>Merchant Shipping Bill, 2024<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and the <\/span><b>Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill, 2025<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These Bills aim to modernise outdated maritime laws, bring India in line with international maritime conventions, and support the country\u2019s ambitions to become a leading player in global shipping and trade.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Modernisation of India\u2019s Maritime Legal Framework<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India\u2019s maritime sector had long been governed by the <\/span><b>Merchant Shipping Act of 1958<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and the <\/span><b>Indian Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, 1925<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, both of which had become outdated, fragmented, and inadequate for handling contemporary maritime challenges.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The newly passed Bills represent a decisive departure from these colonial-era frameworks.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, the reforms signal a \u201cdouble endorsement\u201d of the Centre\u2019s push toward modern shipping infrastructure and legal clarity.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Merchant Shipping Bill, 2024<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This Bill replaces the old 1958 Act with a comprehensive and future-ready legal structure.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With <\/span><b>16 Parts and 325 clauses<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, it simplifies compliance, strengthens safety norms, and reflects India\u2019s commitments under key <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/international-maritime-organisation-imo\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>International Maritime Organisation<\/b><\/a><b> (IMO)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> conventions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Key Features:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Seafarer Welfare:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Prioritises working conditions, welfare, and protection of Indian and foreign seafarers operating under Indian jurisdiction.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Safety and Emergency Response:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Strengthens frameworks for ship safety, emergency preparedness, and marine pollution control.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Environmental Protection:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Integrates IMO protocols to safeguard marine ecosystems.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Tonnage Promotion:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Encourages the registration of ships under the Indian flag to boost domestic tonnage.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Compliance Simplification:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Consolidates fragmented provisions, thereby reducing red tape for maritime operators.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Government stressed that the legislation not only updates India\u2019s shipping law but also positions the country as a \u201cglobally respected maritime jurisdiction\u201d ready for sustainable growth and investment.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>The Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill, 2025<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This Bill <\/span><b>repeals the Indian Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, 1925<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and brings in a modern legal structure to regulate cargo movement via sea.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is particularly <\/span><b>significant for exporters, importers, shipping companies, and insurers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Key Features:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Hague-Visby Rules Compliance:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Aligns India\u2019s cargo liability laws with globally accepted standards followed by countries like the UK, simplifying cross-border transactions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Commercial Efficiency:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The new rules enhance transparency in contracts and dispute resolution, helping to reduce litigation and boost investor confidence.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Trade Facilitation:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It streamlines the legal process surrounding cargo shipping, making India more attractive to international shipping and logistics companies.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Strategic Significance for India\u2019s Maritime Sector<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Together, the two Bills lay the foundation for India\u2019s <\/span><b>blue economy<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Promoting <\/span><b>ease of doing business<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in maritime logistics.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unlocking investment potential in ports, shipbuilding, and maritime technology.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Supporting <\/span><b>India\u2019s maritime security architecture<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> through better legal and regulatory frameworks.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Creating opportunities for <\/span><b>green maritime initiatives<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and sustainable coastal development.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The reforms are also expected to generate employment, especially in coastal states, and enhance India\u2019s capability to compete with global maritime powers such as Singapore, China, and the UAE.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Source :<\/b> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/news\/national\/parliament-passes-the-carriage-of-goods-by-sea-bill-2025\/article69900928.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">TH<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Parliament has passed the Merchant Shipping Bill and the Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill to align India\u2019s maritime law with global standards.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":58503,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[60,2056,22,59],"class_list":{"0":"post-58493","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-upsc-mains-current-affairs","8":"tag-mains-articles","9":"tag-merchant-shipping-bill","10":"tag-upsc-current-affairs","11":"tag-upsc-mains-current-affairs","12":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58493","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/21"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=58493"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58493\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/58503"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=58493"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=58493"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=58493"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}