Coastal shipping is a lifeline for India’s maritime trade, research, and hundreds of hardworking seafarers. But pesky bureaucracy often slowed Indian-flagged ships like dredgers and barges. Crew had to go through tough immigration checks like sign-on and sign-off rules, which were meant for international trips but made little sense inside Indian waters. These long and boring procedures caused delays and extra hassle for seafarers, mixing up their technical work with tiresome paperwork. Seeing this mess, the Indian government jumped in with a smart reform. Now, coastal vessels working inside port limits are free from these immigration checks. Crew members no longer need to rush to immigration offices for Shore Leave Passes (SLPs). Instead, ports themselves handle shore access, keeping records and tracking crew movement much better. What’s in it for us? First off, seafarers get a huge relief from paperwork. They can now focus on their real jobs without constant interruptions. This means smoother workflows and less stress on deck. Plus, projects like dredging and cargo handling get a big efficiency boost, especially at crowded ports where every minute saved counts. This change also sharpens who does what: port authorities now manage local vessel movements, while immigration officers can focus on international ships that need serious screening. This switch matches global best practices and improves national security perfectly. Don’t worry, safety stays strong! There are surprise inspections and strict record-keeping to keep everyone honest and transparent. This reform is part of India’s bigger plan to power up coastal shipping and make business easier at ports. Coastal shipping uses less energy than road transport, cuts highway traffic, and lowers logistics costs. With simpler rules, India hopes more operators will join coastal shipping, adding ships and creating more jobs for Indian sailors. Port offices will update their procedures, train their teams well, and keep vessel owners in the loop to make this work smoothly. Careful watch will ensure ease of access won’t harm accountability. In short, scrapping the sign-on/sign-off and SLP pain for Indian coastal vessels is a smart step forward. It solves old problems, hands more power to ports, and honors hardworking seafarers—all while steering India towards a modern, efficient maritime future.