The Rajya Sabha on Monday passed the Bills of Lading Bill, 2025—previously cleared by the Lok Sabha in March this year—to replace the 169-year-old colonial-era shipping law with a simplified, modern legal framework for shipping documents.
The bill was approved in the Upper House by a voice vote in the absence of the Opposition, who staged a walkout during the post-lunch session.
In an effort to support the country’s growing shipping sector, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal moved the bill for consideration and passage by the Rajya Sabha.
Sonowal said the new legislation will replace the Indian Bills of Lading Act, 1856, and be enacted as the Bills of Lading Act, 2025. The proposed law aims to provide a more modern and user-friendly framework for maritime shipping.
With both Houses of Parliament now having approved the Bills of Lading Bill, 2025, it will be sent to the President of India for her assent before being promulgated as law.
The current British-era law—a brief three-section Act—primarily governs the transfer of rights and confirms that goods have been loaded onto a vessel. However, with the evolution of the shipping industry and changing global trade dynamics, India requires a more comprehensive and internationally aligned legal structure.
The Bills of Lading Bill, 2024, seeks to rename and replace the existing law with the Bills of Lading Act, 2025, introducing several key reforms. It simplifies the language and reorganises the provisions without altering their core intent.
The legislation also empowers the Central Government to issue directions for its implementation and includes a standard repeal and saving clause, effectively eliminating the colonial legacy of the 1856 Act.
A bill of lading refers to a document issued by a freight carrier to a shipper. It includes details such as the type, quantity, condition, and destination of the goods being transported.
-IANS