IWAI and Rhenus Power Up India's Inland Waterways for Cargo

India's inland waterways cargo infrastructure is set to expand significantly following a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed on May 6, 2025, between the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) and Rhenus Logistics India. The agreement outlines a phased rollout of 100 barges, aiming to transport over one million tonnes of cargo annually by the end of 2025.

In the initial phase, 20 barges and six pushers will operate on key routes, including the Ganga, Brahmaputra, Barak rivers, and the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol route. The initiative supports India’s broader multimodal logistics vision and will later include additional national waterways.

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal emphasized the environmental and economic advantages of water-based transport, highlighting its role in building a greener, cost-effective logistics system. Rhenus Logistics, with a global fleet of over 1,100 barges, will bring its European inland navigation expertise to Indian waters, deploying low-draft vessels suited for bulk and break-bulk cargo.

The number of operational national waterways has grown from 3 in 2014–15 to 24 by 2023–24, with a target of 29 by 2024–25. Cargo traffic has increased more than fourfold over the decade, rising from 30 MMTPA in 2014–15 to 133 MMTPA in 2023–24.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.