In an effort to support the country’s growing shipping sector, the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal introduced the Bills of Lading Bill, 2025, which aims to update and simplify the legal framework for shipping documents. The proposed legislation will replace the colonial-era Indian Bills of Lading Act, 1856, providing a more modern and user-friendly approach to maritime shipping. The Lok Sabha passed the Bills of Lading Bill, 2025 modernising the 169 years old colonial shipping law.
The current law, a brief three-section act, primarily governs the transfer of rights and confirmation that goods were loaded onto a vessel. With the shipping industry evolving and the global trade landscape changing, there is a pressing need for India to adopt a more comprehensive and understandable law that aligns with international standards.
The Bills of Lading Bill, 2024, will rename the existing law to the Bills of Lading Act, 2025, and include several key reforms. The new legislation aims to simplify the language and reorganize provisions without altering their underlying substance. It also empowers the Central Government to issue directions to facilitate the law’s implementation along with an inclusion of a standard repeal and saving clause, while eliminating the colonial legacy of the 1856 Act.