Parliament on Monday passed The Bills of Lading Bill, 2025 that aims to update and simplify the legal framework for shipping documents.
The Bills of Lading Bill 2025, which was passed by the Lok Sabha in March this year, was passed in the Rajya Sabha by a voice vote in the absence of the Congress who staged a walkout in the post-lunch session.
Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal moved the bill for consideration and passage by the Upper House.
"We handle over 90 per cent of the exim cargo volume, 70 per cent by value. We have a huge responsibility, being the largest transporter of the country. We have to perform it effectively within a time-frame that is why the modernisation was the most demanding part to make the entire operational procedure qualitative," Sonowal said.
The minister said India's maritime trade, because of its significant contribution to the country's economy, is a harbinger of "our economic growth and prosperity as a nation" and as the "maritime sector continues to grow at an unprecedented pace, we must adopt reformative and straightforward legislations".
Sonowal said the primary objective of this bill is to rename The Indian Bill of Lading Act 1856 as the the Bill of Lading Act 2025, adding, "this change symbolises a break from our colonial past".
He said the legal reform was much-needed and the repeal of the "outdated law" will give us a fresh boost and vision to contribute towards a 'Swarnim Bharat'.
In 2013-14 (during UPA regime) coastal shipping was limited to 87 million metric tonne, said the minister, pointing out that as a result of modernisation efforts and also developing the efficiency of ports it has now gone up to 165 million metric tonnes, the minister said.
He asserted that the Prime Minister has envisioned India becoming one of the world's top-five ship-building nations by 2047.
The bill aims to simplify the language of the provisions and enhance understanding while maintaining the essence of the original act, he said, adding, "This aligns with the central government's ongoing efforts to simplify laws for the benefit of the public." "Devising a detailed legal framework and the overall architecture for recognition of e-bill of lading needs a wide range of stakeholder consultation because whatever we have brought, the idea in the form of the Bill, it was done after detailed stakeholder consultation," said Sonowal.
Participating in the discussion on the bill, Ashok Kumar Mittal of the Aam Aadmi Party termed the Bill as "old wine in a new bottle", arguing that merely bringing a legislation will not suffice and we will have to shed the colonial mindset.
Niranjan Bishi (BJD) said it is imperative that the legal framework be examined in both letter and spirit, asserting that modernisation must not come at the cost of accountability, equity, and legal clarity.
"Section 4 Clause 1 of this Bill allows a Bill of Lading to be treated as valid even when goods have not been shipped. This opens the door to fake bills, fraudulent trading and hawala-type transactions," Bishi said.
The Bill is silent on freight pricing mechanism, allowing large shipping companies to arbitrarily inflate freight charges, the BJD member said.
Masthan Rao Yadav Beedha (TDP) termed the Bill as "forward looking", and said under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, India is becoming a global maritime hub, adding that the Bill is another brick in the foundation of Viksit Bharat.
Shambhu Sharan Patel (BJP) said it will bring a revolution to India's shipping sector and is aligned with the government's vision of India becoming a developed nation by 2047.
Similarly, Arun Singh (BJP) lauded the bill saying it has been brought after thorough preparation and asserted that the laws made in the British Raj have become redundant in modern India.
BJP member Ajeet Madhavrao Gopchade also said the government has given a totally new direction to India's maritime sector, which is a crucial part of the country's economic development.
Meda Raghunadha Reddy (YSRCP) highlighted the need for supporting smaller ports with financial assistance, while seeking strengthening of port infrastructure in Andhra Pradesh as the state plays an important role in India's maritime trade.
M Thambidurai (AIADMK), while supporting the bill, drew attention of the government in the increasing instances of shipments of narcotics in ports situated in Tamil Nadu, while asking to take steps to curb the illegal trade.
A bill of lading refers to a document issued by a freight carrier to a shipper. It contains details such as the type, quantity, condition, and destination of goods being carried.
The bill seeks to make provisions for the transfer of rights of suit and all liabilities to the consignee named in a bill of lading and every endorsee of a bill of lading, to whom the property in the goods mentioned in the bill of lading shall pass, upon or by reason of a consignment or an endorsement.
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