In a critical moment towards boosting the Coastal Economy of the country, the Coastal Shipping Bill, 2025 was passed by the Rajya Sabha yesterday. This 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 April 3, 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, Union Minister Sarbananda 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.
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