In a major step towards enhancing green logistics, the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 6 May 2025 with global logistics firm Rhenus Logistics India Private Limited to commence barge cargo services across India’s key national waterways.

Under the agreement, Rhenus will introduce 100 barges in phases, beginning with the deployment of 20 barges and six pushers. The initiative targets the transportation of over one million tonnes of cargo annually by the end of 2025, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways stated.

“Inland waterways offer a remarkable opportunity to create a greener, cost-effective, and efficient logistics network,” said Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal during the signing ceremony.

Initial operations will cover the Ganga, Brahmaputra, and Barak rivers, as well as the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol route, facilitating movement of bulk and break bulk cargo across northern, eastern, and northeastern India. Expansion to additional national waterways is planned in subsequent phases.

Rhenus, with its European inland navigation expertise and a global fleet exceeding 1,100 barges, is expected to introduce global best practices in Indian operations. A combination of pushers and barges tailored for low-draft navigation will be utilised.

India’s inland waterways network has expanded significantly, with operational national waterways increasing from three in 2014–15 to 24 by 2023–24, and a target of 29 by 2024–25. Cargo movement has grown from 30 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA) in 2014–15 to 133 MMTPA in 2023–24, resulting in a cumulative 779 million metric tonnes of cargo moved in the past decade.

Currently, India has 14,500 km of navigable waterways across 111 declared national waterways. The Ministry said the sector is poised to become a key component of the country’s multimodal logistics ecosystem.