The Lok Sabha has approved the Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill, 2024, which seeks to update the rules overseeing the duties, liabilities, rights, and protections of carriers involved in maritime transportation. The new bill aims to replace outdated laws from 1925, specifically the Indian Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, which has been in place since before India gained independence.

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal emphasised the importance of the new legislation, noting that it modernises a framework that has been in place for a century. “This bill intends to repeal and replace the 100-year-old pre-independence legislation, the Indian Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, 1925,” Sonowal stated

The minister explained that the Act covers ships carrying goods between Indian ports as well as from an Indian port to a foreign destination, applying to both domestic and international maritime trade. “The Act is applicable when ships are carrying goods from an Indian port to a foreign port or from one Indian port to another, covering international carriers of goods from India as well as domestic carriers of goods by sea,” he said further. 

As per the business schedule, Sarbananda Sonowal will present ‘The Indian Ports Bill, 2025’ in the Lok Sabha on Friday. The Indian Ports Bill aims to simplify and modernise the laws governing ports, promote coordinated development, and make business easier. It also seeks to maximise India's coastline potential by setting up and empowering State Maritime Boards to oversee non-major ports effectively. The legislation also aims to create the Maritime State Development Council to promote structured growth in the port sector. It includes provisions for managing pollution, disasters, emergencies, security, safety, and port navigation while ensuring compliance with India’s international commitments.