The Coastal Shipping Bill, 2025 was passed by the Rajya Sabha on 7 August 2025, after clearance from the Lok Sabha on April 3, 2025.
- The bill replaces Part XIV of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958 with a modern legal framework aligned with global cabotage norms.
- Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who introduced the bill, stated it will help increase India’s coastal cargo share to 230 million metric tonnes by 2030.
- Key Features:
- Introduces a simplified licensing system for coastal shipping.
- Provides a framework for regulating foreign vessels in coastal trade.
- Mandates a National Coastal and Inland Shipping Strategic Plan to guide future policy and infrastructure.
- Proposes a National Database for Coastal Shipping to support transparency and investment.
- The bill aims to enhance supply-chain security, promote Indian vessel usage, reduce foreign dependence, and generate local employment.
- With its passage, all three key maritime laws are now approved:
- Merchant Shipping Bill, 2025
- Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill, 2025
- Coastal Shipping Act, 2025
