Parliament Question: Implementation of New Maritime Laws

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1173 ANSWERED ON 06/02/2026 IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW MARITIME LAWS †1173. SHRI HASMUKHBHAI SOMABHAI PATEL:

SHRI MITESHBHAI RAMESHBHAI PATEL:

Will the Minister of PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS be pleased to state: प(cid:517)न,पोत प(cid:303)रवहन और जलमाग(cid:330) मं(cid:361)ी

(a) the steps taken for capacity building, rule-making and institutional preparedness to ensure the timely and effective implementation of the new Acts (Bills of Lading Act, 2025, Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, 2025, Coastal Shipping Act, 2025 Merchant Shipping Act, 2025, and Indian Ports Act, 2025);

(b) the details of stakeholder consultations, model rule or Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) issued to ensure uniform adoption of these new maritime laws across States, port authorities and shipping stakeholders; and

(c) the monitoring or review mechanisms set up to assess the progress and initial outcomes of the implementation of these Acts? ANSWER MINISTER OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS (SHRI SARBANANDA SONOWAL)

(a) In order to ensure effective implementation of the newly enacted legislations, the rule-making exercise has been undertaken in respect of the Coastal Shipping Act, 2025, the Merchant Shipping Act, 2025 and the Indian Ports Act, 2025. The exercise has been undertaken through a comprehensive consultative process involving all relevant stakeholders to ensure their participation at the drafting stage itself.

The following measures have been taken for capacity building, rule-making and institutional preparedness to ensure timely implementation of new legislations;

(i) Twelve (12) Technical committees with Nodal Officers from the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) and representatives from stakeholders having knowledge and expertise on subject matters of rules to be framed have been constituted and these committees are working on finalisation of draft rules under Merchant Shipping Act, 2025.

(ii) Two (02) Technical committees have been constituted for drafting of rules under Coastal Shipping Act, 2025.

(iii) Legal Consultants have been engaged for assisting in drafting of the rules so as to have rule framework with simple legal language.

(iv) A Legal vertical has been created in the Directorate General of Shipping to ensure timely legal process and implementation of new legislations.(v) Four (04) Consultative meetings were conducted with stakeholders for

rule- making in respect of Indian Ports Act, 2025.

As no rules were required to be framed under the Bills of Lading Act, 2025 and the Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, 2025, these Acts have come into force with effect from 10th September, 2025.

(b)& (c) For comprehensive stakeholder consultations, Fourteen (14) Technical committees involving industry experts and nodal officers from the Directorate General of Shipping were constituted in respect of rule-making under Merchant Shipping Act, 2025 and Coastal Shipping Act, 2025.Various groups of stakeholders have been consulted while drafting the rules by the Directorate General of Shipping.

The major stakeholders include Shipowners, Operators, Seafarers’ Associations, Training & Education Bodies, Classification Societies, Ports & State Maritime Boards, Ship Management & Offshore Services, Coastal, Inland & Sailing Vessel Sector associations, Legal experts and related Government Departments.

The draft Merchant Shipping Rules were placed on the website of DGS on

12.12.2025as well as on the Ministry’s website on24.12.2025, 26.12.2025and

22.01.2026 for public and stakeholders comments.

In compliance of Section 39(1) of Coastal Shipping Act, 2025, Draft Coastal Shipping (Licencing of Foreign Vessels) Rules, 2026 and Draft Coastal Shipping (Strategy and National Database) Rules, 2026 were published in the Gazette of India on 19.12.2025 for information and observations/suggestions from the stakeholders.

These rules were also placed on Ministry’s website on 26.12.2025 for public and stakeholders comments.

Draft Indian Ports Rules as mandated under section 76 and 78 of the Indian Ports Act, 2025 were published in the Gazette of India on 23.01.2026.For rules making exercise under the Indian Ports Act, 2025 the Ministry engaged with all relevant stakeholders, including Major Port Authorities, State Maritime Boards, and industry bodies.

The review of acts/laws/rules is a continuous and ongoing process based on inputs/suggestions/complaints from stakeholders as well as based on the recommendations of researchers, analysts and experts in the field.

*****