April 1, 2025
Lok Sabha MP Sougata Ray’s speech on The Coastal Shipping Bill, 2024
Madam, I rise to speak on the Coastal Shipping Bill, 2024, brought forward by the hon. Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal. Coastal shipping is a huge area. It covers 7,500 kilometres of our coast. The problem with our coast is that we have a long coastline, but it is not indented. If you compare it with the Scandinavian coast, there is indentation, so that ships can go straight into the harbour. We do not have that facility, but we have to make do with what we have. Now, the main thing is that coastal shipping is cheaper. Madam, you are from Madhya Pradesh, you would not realise the problems we have in Kolkata. From Kolkata to Chennai, we can carry coal very easily. It is easier than a train or a truck. This is very prevalent. The hon. Minister wants to improve that. But, at present, waterways account for only 6.4 per cent of our transport mix. It is much lower than countries like China, Japan and the EU. The Bill seeks to increase the share to 7.5 per cent by 2030, and 12 per cent by 2047, thereby reducing congestion on roads and railways. The hon. Minister has done some work on improving inland river connectivity. Mainly, our national waterways are there like Ganga, Brahmaputra and other places. Madam, you would be surprised to know that from Kolkata port, there are ships going to Cachar. How do they go? They go down Ganges to the sea. Then from Bangladesh, they go up Brahmaputra to reach Cachar. There is a regular trip to Karimganj from Kolkata. Now, these are great advantages. There is no traffic jam on waterways and the cost is less. But there is one thing. If we improve our coastal shipping, it will enhance India’s marine competitiveness. Though 100 per cent FDI is allowed in the shipping sector, complex regulations have hindered foreign investment so far. We must not allow regulations tohamper investment. This Bill introduces uniformity and transparency, encouraging more ships to register in India and boosting maritime trade. Madam, you possibly know that there are mechanized vessels and non-mechanized vessels. For instance, if you take a huge barge going by the Ganges or going into Bangladesh, it is a non-mechanized vessel. If you look at the huge oil platforms through which we raise oil from Bombay high, they are also non-mechanized. The mechanised vessels are those which use an engine. The engine may be a petrol engine. But it is better to have a CNG engine. That will improve our marine competitiveness. This is one suggestion that we have. We should have a provision in Clause 3 requiring at least 50 per cent of India’s domestic cargo to be transported by Indian-flagged vessels. In this House, a few days ago, I mentioned that we have not given attention to the shipping sector. Mr. Sonowal, as a Minister, is giving attention to the shipping sector. He is trying to improve both inland, coastal and high seas ship transportation. That is a big way of improving our situation. The Bill mandates the creation of a National Coastal and Inland Shipping Strategic Plan within two years of the commencement of the Act. But one requirement is that we must not depend wholly on the DirectorGeneral of Shipping. The Director-General of Shipping is the biggest bureaucrat in the Shipping Ministry after the Secretary. We must create an independent body to look after shipping matters, instead of giving it to a single Director-General of Shipping. There is a big problem of Indian seafarers or sailors finding jobs. The Government should mandate a minimum quota of Indian seafarers in Indianflagged vessels. We should give more encouragement to the shipping companies that employ Indian seafarers through tax rebates. Lastly, the new National Coastal and Inland Shipping Strategic Plan should not be implemented in a hurry. From ancient times, ships have opened up India’s doors. You know in the 15th century, Vasco da Gama came from Portugal to India through a ship. But even before that, Samrat Ashok sent his children to the South East Asia. Shivaji had a fleet. Kanhoji Angre was Shivaji’s Admiral. He had the finest navy. The Vijayanagar kings and Cholas also had fleets. So, I would urge upon the Shipping Minister – he has got straight four years till the next elections – that he should show some result in Andhra Pradesh which is having the second-largest coastline in the country. It will benefit from the Bill, so will Maharashtra which has got a big coastline. I do not want to prolong my speech. Bills should not be introduced only to establish or force regulations. There are too many regulations. You get a punishment because of this. You have to pay so much. No, Bills or laws should be there to encourage shipping. And I would like our Indian shipping to benefit totally from this Bill. I look forward to Kolkata benefitting because Kolkata has been an inland for a long time. Ships go out from Kolkata to Chennai, to Bangladesh. And it will benefit very much if shipping is included. I have nothing to oppose in the Bill. I have made some suggestions. With these words, I thank the hon. Minister. Thank you.
