Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Jul 21: In a landmark step to modernise India’s maritime legislation, the Rajya Sabha on Monday passed the Bills of Lading Bill, 2025, replacing the colonial-era Indian Bill of Lading Act, 1856, with an updated and simplified legal framework for shipping documentation.

The bill, already passed by the Lok Sabha in March, was cleared by a voice vote in the Rajya Sabha amid an Opposition walkout during the post-lunch session.

Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, who moved the bill, said the new legislation would align India’s shipping laws with modern trade practices and global standards, offering clarity and structure to the handling of maritime freight documents.

The Bills of Lading Act, 2025, aims to:

• Simplify and modernise the language of the 1856 Act
• Reorganise provisions without altering their core substance
• Empower the Centre to issue implementation guidelines
• Include repeal and saving clauses
• Remove remnants of colonial legal structures

A bill of lading is a critical shipping document that outlines details such as the type, quantity, and destination of goods being transported and serves as proof of shipment.

With both Houses now having cleared the bill, it will be sent to the President for assent, after which it will become law.

The move marks a significant step forward for India’s maritime commerce, supporting the country’s growing shipping sector and replacing outdated laws with a 21st-century legal approach.