The Centre on Thursday prepared the Draft Indian Ports Bill, 2022, to do away with the port laws from the British era.
The draft seeks to amend and consolidate legislation for containment, prevention of pollution and facilitate compliance with the country’s maritime treaties and international instruments.
The draft is issued for stakeholder consultation.
“The Indian Ports Act, 1908 (“Act”) is more than 110years old. It has become imperative that the Act is revamped to reflect the present-day frameworks, incorporate India’s international obligations, address emerging environmental concerns, and aid the consultative development of the ports sector in the national interest,” the union ministry of ports, shipping and waterways said.
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The draft also introduced measures for the conservation of ports, formulating and empowering state maritime boards, managing and controlling non-major ports in India and ensuring optimum utilisation of the coastline of India.
The Draft Indian Ports Bill has a four-fold primary objectives – promote integrated planning between States inter-se and Centre-States through a purely consultative and recommendatory framework; ensure prevention of pollution measures for all ports in India while incorporating India’s obligations under international treaties; address lacunae in the dispute resolution framework required for burgeoning ports sector; usher-in transparency and cooperation in the development and other aspects through the use of data.
{{/usCountry}}The Draft Indian Ports Bill has a four-fold primary objectives – promote integrated planning between States inter-se and Centre-States through a purely consultative and recommendatory framework; ensure prevention of pollution measures for all ports in India while incorporating India’s obligations under international treaties; address lacunae in the dispute resolution framework required for burgeoning ports sector; usher-in transparency and cooperation in the development and other aspects through the use of data.
{{/usCountry}}“This bill will help in instilling confidence among more players thereby increasing their participation and promoting healthy competition in the maritime sector,” said union minister of ports, shipping and waterways Sarbananda Sonowal.
The bill will ensure streamlined and homogenised development in the maritime sector and promote ease of doing business, the statement said. It said the redundant provisions of the Act have been deleted or replaced with contemporary provisions.
Over 95% of India’s trade by volume and 65% by value is done using maritime transport facilities at ports.
India has around 7,500 km long coastline, 14,500 km of potentially navigable waterways and a strategic location on key international maritime trade routes.