The Lok Sabha has passed the Indian Ports Bill, 2025. The Bill seeks to consolidate the law relating to ports, promote integrated port development, facilitate ease of doing business and ensure the optimum utilization of India’s coastline. The bill also seeks to  establish and empower State Maritime Boards for effective management of ports other than major ports,  establish the Maritime State Development Council for fostering structured growth and development of the port sector. It also  provides for the management of pollution, disaster, emergencies,security, safety, navigation, and data at ports. The legislation  will ensure compliance with India’s obligations under international instruments to which it is a party and  also provides for adjudicatory mechanisms for the redressal of port-related disputes.

 

 

Replying to a debate on the Bill, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways,  Sarbananda Sonowal said that  the move is a strategic intervention to reposition  India’s maritime sector for the 21st century. He said that India’s coastline,  the economic backbone of a four trillion economy has seen a remarkable progress under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said, in the last decade , the country’s port capacity has expanded by 87 percent and cargo handling has surged to a historic high of 855 millon tonnes.

 

 

He said, the coastal shipping has increased by an astounding by 180 percent. He said, these are not just numbers but they are  a testament of efficiency and growth. He said, the Indian Ports Act  of 1908 is an outdated statute and lacks provisions for long term planning , modern environmental  safeguards and efficient dispute resolutions. He said, the Indian Ports Bill,2025 mainly focuses on optimum utilisation  of India’s coastline by promoting integrated planning  and strategic development of ports through a robust framework between the States and the Centre.

 

 

Earlier participating in the debate, Dilip Saikia of BJP supported the bill and  highlighted the achievements made by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. He said, the ports capacity has increased by 87 percent in the last 11 years.

 

 

Sribharat Mathukumili of TDP welcomed the government’s decision of bringing the bill. He said, the turnaround of the ships in major ports has halved from 93 hours to 48 hours today. He said, our International shipment rankings has improved from 44 to 23 in the year 2023.

 

 

Darshan Singh Choudhary of BJP said that the country’s  cargo handling capacity has reached 855 million tonnes. He said,  as part of the legislation, there is a provision of setting up Maritime State Development Council  through which the Centre and States will formulate a common strategy for ports development.