New Delhi [India], August 6: If you were anywhere near Parliament on 6 August, you could feel it. Not the usual bustle alone, but that slightly charged air that comes when something off-script is about to happen. And it did. By evening, both Houses had signed off on two big maritime bills in the span of a single day, a first for the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
In the Lok Sabha, the Merchant Shipping Bill, 2024, cruised through. A fresh, sleeker rulebook meant to replace the hefty 1958 Act that’s been groaning under amendments for decades.
Meanwhile, across the hall, the Rajya Sabha voted through the Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill, 2025, finally showing the 1925 colonial-era law the door. It was a day of paperwork, yes, but also a quiet reset for a sector that moves almost all of India’s trade.
Why the Shipping Act Needed a Refit
The original Merchant Shipping Act wasn’t exactly bedtime reading. At 561 sections, it could overwhelm even the most patient policy wonk. Over the years, it became a patchwork of fixes, and still left big gaps.
The new 2024 bill pares it down to 16 parts and 325 clauses. More manageable. More in line with global conventions. Minister Sarbananda Sonowal called it a “decisive step” towards making India a top-tier maritime hub. Stripped of political flourish, it’s meant to cut compliance clutter, raise safety standards, and look after the people who actually run these ships, the seafarers.
And there’s the other part: perception. In shipping, trust matters almost as much as tonnage. If the rules are clear and match international standards, foreign shippers are more willing to dock, invest, and partner. That’s the undercurrent here.
The End of 1925, Finally
Over in the Rajya Sabha, the atmosphere was different, but the mission was similar: clear the decks. The Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, 1925, had been around so long that it was almost invisible. Outdated, too.
The 2025 bill swaps in the Hague-Visby Rules, the same framework used by the UK and others, making contracts and cargo claims easier to understand and less likely to land in endless court battles. Minister of State Shantanu Thakur framed it as part of shedding “the colonial mindset” in laws. That line got nods, even from benches usually quick to push back.
There’s a trade angle here as well. With modernised laws, India strengthens its hand in agreements like the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement with the UK. For shipping companies, that means less uncertainty, faster clearance, and more predictable costs.
Beyond the Fine Print
It’s tempting to see these bills as just legal housekeeping. But they ripple out. Around 95% of India’s trade by volume moves by sea. When the laws guiding that trade are outdated, everyone feels it, from exporters in Surat to importers in Chennai, from port workers to shipping insurers.
MPs did raise worries about smuggling and maritime security. The government responded that safeguards, both operational and legal, were being strengthened. For once, there seemed to be agreement across parties that this overhaul was overdue.
And the pairing of the two bills in one day? That’s more than symbolism. One law tidies up governance of ships and crews; the other smooths the way for goods to move. Together, they make the system tighter and more transparent.
Closing the Day
By the end of the session, Minister Sarbananda Sonowal was talking about a “double endorsement” for the government’s maritime vision. Minister of State Shantanu Thakur spoke of swapping “outdated norms for modern standards.” It was classic framing. But in between the speeches and the procedures, you could see the practical side: rules that match the world we trade with today, not the one we inherited a century ago.
Will it all work as smoothly as promised? Time, and the tides, will tell. But for now, the shipping sector has a pair of new anchors in law. And somewhere out at sea, a captain scanning the headlines might just allow himself a smile.
