Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill, 2025

News: The Parliament passed the Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill, 2025, marking a significant step in the government’s ongoing effort to modernise India’s maritime legal framework.

About Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill, 2025

• The Bill replaces the nearly century-old colonial period Indian Carriage of Goods by Sea Act of 1925, aligning Indian law with international maritime conventions.
  • The Act establishes the responsibilities, liabilities, rights, and immunities in case of goods carried from a port.
• Objective: The main objective of the new law is to modernise India’s maritime shipping regulations and make them easier to understand and apply.
• Key features:
  • Adopts Hague–Visby Rules: Aligns Indian law with international maritime standards for bills of lading and cargo liability.
  • Legal safeguards for parties in shipping contracts
  • Regulatory flexibility for the government to adapt the law as needed
  • Replacement of the outdated 1925 law with language better suited to current trade realities
• Key central government powers: The Bill gives the central government two key powers:
  • Issuing Directions: The government can issue guidelines or instructions to help implement the provisions of the Bill effectively.
  • Amending Rules: The government can update or modify the rules related to bills of lading (listed in the schedule of the Bill) through notifications, without needing to bring a new law to Parliament.