NewzVille Desk
To boost the Coastal Economy of the country, the Coastal Shipping Bill, 2025 was passed by the Rajya Sabha today. This historic act is set to unlock the tremendous and vast potential of India’s 11,098 kms long strategic coastline, spanning nine coastal states and four union territories.
The bill was proposed for adoption by the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW), Sarbananda Sonowal.
The Bill, which was earlier passed by the Lok Sabha on 3 April, 2025, seeks to simplify and modernise the legal framework governing coastal shipping, replacing Part XIV of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958 with a new-age, progressive legislation aligned with global cabotage norms.
Introducing the Bill in the Rajya Sabha, Sonowal stated that the legislation is central to India’s ambition of “increasing its coastal cargo share to 230 million metric tonnes by 2030, while strengthening the maritime sector’s contribution to Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat.”
“This is not merely a legal reform but a strategic enabler of economic growth, employment, and logistics efficiency,” he said.
The Coastal Shipping Bill, 2025 comprises six chapters and 42 clauses. It introduces a simplified licensing system for coastal shipping and lays down the framework for regulating foreign vessels engaged in coasting trade.
