Lok Sabha Question No. 697 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-02-07
Subject: Global Leader in Shipbuilding
Ministry: PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS
Asked by: Shri Eatala Rajender, Smt. D K Aruna, Shri Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.697

ANSWERED ON 07.02.2025

## GLOBAL LEADER IN SHIPBUILDING

697. SHRI CHAMALA KIRAN KUMAR REDDY:

SMT. DK ARUNA:

SHRI EATALA RAJENDER:

Will the Minister of PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS be pleased to state: पȅन , पोतपįरवहनऔरजलमागŊमंũी

- (a) whether the Government is taking steps to provide impetus to coastal shipping, besides enhancing Indian ship ownership and promoting ease of doing business in the country, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  the  Government  is  working  out  on  maritime  vision  2047,  tourism  and other recent legislations as to improve India's global position in shipping industry since the last ten years, if so the details thereof indicating the  improvement  in its standing/position as a result of such initiatives;
- (c) whether  it  is  a  fact  that  India  is  set  to  become  the  world  leader  in  different verticals like ship building, ship repair and ship recycling and would be in top ten nations by the year 2030 and also top five nations by the year 2047 with an investment of more than 80 lakh crores in 25 years; and
- (d) if  so  the  details  and  the  present  status  thereof,  State-wise  including  Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, West Bengal along with the amount of funds sanctioned/spent for the same?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS (SHRI SARBANANDA SONOWAL)

- (a) Yes, several steps and initiatives have been undertaken by the Government to boost coastal shipping,  focusing on  enhancing  efficiency and capacity. These include developing onshore and evacuation infrastructure, enhancing connectivity to and from ports  through  road  and  rail,  reduction  of  GST  on  bunker  fuels  used  in  Indian  Flag

Vessels  from  18%  to  5%,  providing  a  40%  discount  on  vessels  and  cargo  related charges  to  coastal  cargo  vessels,  introduction  of  Green  channel  clearance  for  faster evacuation  of  coastal  cargo,  priority  berthing  policy  to  reduce  turnaround  time  for coastal vessels. (b) The Merchant Shipping Act, 1958 has been revamped to make India a bankable jurisdiction  and  place  India  among  the  top  global  players  in  shipping.  The  Merchant Shipping Bill,  2024  and  Coastal  Shipping  Bill,  2024  have  been  introduced  in  the  Lok Sabha  on  the  10th  Dec  2024  and  2nd  Dec  2024  respectively.  In  order  to  meet  the challenges posed by the global shipping and for promotion of ease of doing business, the obsolete provisions have been replaced with contemporaneous ones and mandatory requirements under International Conventions have been incorporated in the MS Bill, 2024. The  Coastal  Shipping  Bill,  2024  ushers  in  a  focused  approach  to  foster  growth  and development of Indian coastal sector. It does away with license for Indian vessels for coastal and maritime trade. The Bill includes provisions for creation of a coastal plan involving  Union  and  States,  and  integration  of  inland  and  coastal  shipping  for  the promotion of coastal shipping.

(c) & (d) MIV 2030 aims to move India's shipbuilding and ship repair ranking into the top  10  globally,  while  AmritKaal  Vision  2047  sets  an  even  more  ambitious  goal  of reaching  the  top  5  with  an investment  of  Rs.  80  lakh  Crore for  the  development  of maritime sector during this period.

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