Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has recently circulated a draft on the Indian Ports Bill 2020 for public consultation which will repeal and replace the Indian Ports Act, 1908 (Act No. 15 of 1908)

The draft Indian Ports Bill, 2020, seeks to enable structured growth and sustainable development of ports to attract investments in the port sector for optimum utilisation of the Indian coastline by effective administration and management of ports.

The proposed Bill will provide measures to facilitate conservation of ports, taking into account the prevalent situation with respect to the high number of non-operational ports. It shall further ensure greater investment in the Indian maritime and ports sector through the creation of improved, comprehensive regulatory frameworks for the creation of new ports and management of existing ports.

The bill also seeks to create a supportive environment ensuring growth and sustained development of the ports sector in India through the following broad methods:

1. Constitution of Maritime Port Regulatory Authority
2. Formulation of the National Port policy and National Port plan in consultation with Coastal State Governments, State Maritime Boards and other stakeholders.
3. Formulation of specialised Adjudicatory Tribunals namely Maritime Ports Tribunal and Maritime Ports Appellate Tribunal to curb any anti-competitive practises in the port sector and act as a speedy and affordable grievance redressal mechanism.

The up-to-date provisions of the proposed Bill would ensure safety, security, pollution control, performance standards and sustainability of Ports. The Bill ensures that all up-to-date conventions /protocols to which India is a party, are also suitably incorporated. This will promote marine safety and security in the true sense. The Bill will fill up the gaps for achieving scientific development of Ports and Port Network.

The Bill seeks to provide increased opportunities for public and private investments in the Indian maritime and ports sector by way of removing barriers to entry, simplifying processes and establishment of agencies and bodies to plan and enable growth of the ports sector. Enhancing Ease of Doing Business, it will provide greater impetus to a self-reliant domestic investment climate in the maritime sector, towards Atamanirbhar Bharat initiatives of the Government.

Minister of State, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Mansukh Mandaviya, said, “We are working on creation of a National Port Grid. This bill will be a game changer in the Indian maritime sector specially for bringing more investments. The bill will bolster structured growth and sustained development of ports and ensure achieving this objective on fast track basis. Consequently, it will result into revolutionary maritime reforms transmuting the Indian maritime set-up entirely in the times to come.”

Advancing exports

Looking at the current regulatory update regarding exports, exporters are looking ahead for reforms which will pull Indian industry out of slow and sluggish market. Some key exports reforms like RoDTEP – to be introduced in January – will play a vital role coupled with rejuvenation of ports. The new ports bill highlights a crucial reform of tribunals and affordable grievance redressal, enabling and empowering faster clearances of grievances thereby fast tracking exports. Further, sustainable initiatives like adoption of renewable energy will create better market conditions for the energy market.

The draft of Indian Ports Bill 2020 is issued for public consultation for seeking the feedback and suggestions. This can be accessed on the Ministry of Sipping website and suggestions can be sent to sagar.mala@nic.in by 24 December, 2020.

(Inputs source: PIB Delhi)