Parliament Approves Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill 2025

Quick Summary

• Parliament passed The Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill 2025 on August 6, amid Opposition protests in the rajya Sabha over unrelated issues, including demands for discussion on special Intensive Revision (SIR).
• Chair Bhubaneshwar Kalita disallowed non-Bill-related discussions to be recorded during the session.
• Minister Shantanu Thakur introduced the Bill to replace the outdated Indian Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, 1925.
• The new legislation builds on existing legal provisions but simplifies language and structure for accessibility and reduces ambiguities.
• It aligns with international maritime conventions such as Hague Rules (1924) and subsequent global updates.
• The Bill empowers the government to adapt swiftly to global maritime changes while ensuring clarity and parliamentary oversight of executive notifications.

Indian Opinion Analysis
The passage of The Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill 2025 marks India’s proactive attempt to modernize a century-old shipping law, keeping pace with contemporary international maritime standards.Its emphasis on simplification suggests a purposeful effort to support shipping professionals and Indian businesses engaged in trade across seas while minimizing potential litigation complexities through clarified drafting practices.

For India’s export-driven economy that relies heavily on efficient port-to-port operations, this legislation could bolster competitiveness in global trade markets.Moreover, mechanisms like enhanced governmental versatility and parliamentary oversight reflect a balance between regulatory agility and accountability-critical factors for governance in dynamic sectors like shipping.Read more: Link