Inland Vessels Act, 2021

Inland Vessels Act, 2021
Parliament of India
Long title An Act to promote economical and safe transportation and trade through inland waters, to bring uniformity in application of law relating to inland waterways and navigation within the country, to provide for safety of navigation, protection of life and cargo, and prevention of pollution that may be caused by the use or navigation of inland vessels, to ensure transparency and accountability of administration of inland water transportation, to strengthen procedures governing the inland vessels, their construction, survey, registration, manning, navigation and such other matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
Citation	Act No. 24 of 2021
Territorial extent	India
Passed by	Lok Sabha
Passed	29 July 2021
Passed by	Rajya Sabha
Passed	2 August 2021
Assented to by	President
Assented to	11 August 2021
Commenced	16 February 2022–Section 1 and 106 7 June 2022–Section 2 to 105 and 107 to 114
Legislative history
First chamber: Lok Sabha
Bill title	The Inland Vessels Bill, 2021
Bill citation	Bill No. 99 of 2021
Introduced by	Sarbananda Sonowal (MoP,S&W)
Introduced	22 July 2021
Passed	29 July 2021
Second chamber: Rajya Sabha
Passed	2 August 2021
Repeals
Inland Vessels Act, 1917
Status: In force

The Inland Vessels Act, 2021 (Act No. 24 of 2021) ^[1] is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted to replace the colonial-era Inland Vessels Act, 1917. ^[2] It was enacted for regulating inland water transport.

It establishes a unified framework for the registration, safety, and operation of inland vessels across the country, promoting uniformity, safety, and efficiency in inland water transport. ^[3]

References

1. "The Inland Vessels Act, 2021". www.indiacode.nic.in. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
2. "Parliament passes landmark 'Inland Vessels Bill, 2021' to repeal and replace the existing Inland Vessels Act, 1917". www.pib.gov.in. 2 August 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
3. "The Inland Vessels Bill, 2021". PRS Legislative Research. Retrieved 8 October 2025.