Merchant Shipping Act, 2025 notified; seafarer safety framework and DGS advisories for conflict-sensitive regions
Merchant Shipping Act, 2025 notified; seafarer safety framework and DGS advisories for conflict-sensitive regions
- The Merchant Shipping Act, 2025 is the new legal framework for modernising India’s maritime regulation and strengthening seafarer protection.
- The Directorate General of Maritime Administration issued advisories, circulars, and emergency guidance for Indian seafarers in conflict-sensitive maritime regions.
What happened
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has stated that the Merchant Shipping Act, 2025 came into force on 15 March 2026. The Act is presented as a modernisation of India’s maritime legal framework and as a stronger statutory base for the safety, welfare, and rights of seafarers.
The same reply also records a series of advisories and circulars issued by the Directorate General of Maritime Administration in response to security risks in conflict-sensitive maritime regions, especially Iran, the Persian Gulf, and the Strait of Hormuz.
UPSC may frame the Merchant Shipping Act, 2025 as a governance and security question on how India protects seafarers through statutory safeguards, regulatory oversight of recruitment agencies, and emergency advisories in conflict-sensitive maritime regions. The issue also links maritime labour rights with state responsibility, consular coordination, and compliance with international maritime standards.
