6.7.3. Revamped Merchant Shipping Bill to replace Merchant Shipping Act, 1958

In order to promote ease of doing business to meet new challenges facing merchant shipping sector – to increase tonnage under Indian flag and share of Indian seafarers, safeguard rights and privileges of seafarers, enhance safety and security of vessels and life at sea, to develop Indian coastal shipping and trade and to ensure compliance of India’s obligations under international conventions and to replace old redundant provisions with contemporaneous provisions, the Merchant Shipping Bill, 2016 has been introduced in Parliament to replace existing Merchant Shipping Act, 1958.