NewzVille Parliament Desk
The Parliament passed the landmark legislation the Merchant Shipping Bill, 2025 as the Rajya Sabha approved the bill today. The bill is 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 6 August during the ongoing mansoon session.
The Union Minister called the Bill “a decisive steps” 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,” Sonowal said.
Replacing the long and outdated Merchant Shipping Act, 1958, which had 561 sections, the new Bill offers a streamlined framework of 16 parts and 325 clauses.
