India's Union Cabinet Approves Amendments to Merchant Shipping Bill

India’s Union Cabinet approved proposed amendments to the Merchant Shipping (Amendment) Bill, 2004 on Thursday, June 21. If approved by the Parliament, the bill will amend the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958 and the Indian Ports Act, 1908. The amendments are intended to ensure the safe and secure operation of ships and to improve the safety and security of those on board.

The bill, originally referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee in 2004, seeks to amend the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958 to implement provisions of the International Ship and Port Security (ISPS) Code. These provisions include safety and security measures to be adopted by port facilities and vessels, port facility assessments, ship identification numbers, ship security alert systems, international ship security certificates, control measures and compliance.

Because the ISPS Code also includes ports, amendments to the Indian Ports Act, 1908 to comply with ISPS security measures have also been approved. The Parliamentary Standing Committee also made eleven recommendations and three have been included in the revised bill. It is important that the ISPS Code standards are implemented in India so that Indian vessels can access foreign ports and foreign ships are allowed into Indian ports.

The Merchant Shipping (Amendment) Bill, 2004 is also supposed to take into account recent developments and events in the United Nations, the International Maritime Organization, and the maritime industry as a whole. The bill will be presented to Parliament in the Winter Session.