India, Rhenus to Launch Barge Cargo Services on Waterways

12 May 2025 CW Team

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.

Infrastructure Energy

14 Oct 2025

Mizoram To Build Rs 139 Billion Pumped Storage Power Plant

Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma on Friday announced plans to construct a 2,400 MW pumped storage hydroelectric power plant in Hnahthial district, marking a major step towards achieving energy self-sufficiency in the state. Addressing the Mizo Students’ Union general conference in Hnahthial town, the Chief Minister said the plant would be developed across the Darzo Nallah, a tributary of the Tuipui river. Once operational, the project is expected to play a pivotal role in meeting Mizoram’s rising electricity demand and reducing dependence on imported power. Officials from the State Power..

Centre Plans Nationwide Opening Of Power Retail Market

India is preparing to open up its retail electricity market to private companies nationwide, effectively ending the long-standing monopoly of state-run power distributors in most regions, according to a draft bill released by the Union Power Ministry on Friday. The move will enable major private sector players — including Adani Enterprises, Tata Power, Torrent Power, and CESC — to expand their presence across the country’s electricity distribution landscape. A similar reform attempt in 2022 had faced strong opposition from state-run distribution companies (discoms), which currently dom..

CEA Sets 100 GW Nuclear Target For India By 2047

In a landmark step marking its 52nd Foundation Day, the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) unveiled an ambitious roadmap to develop 100 gigawatts (GW) of nuclear power capacity by 2047, aligning with India’s long-term Net-Zero commitment and energy security objectives. The event, held at the Central Water Commission auditorium in New Delhi’s R.K. Puram, was attended by Pankaj Agarwal, Secretary, Ministry of Power, who served as the Chief Guest. The roadmap sets out a detailed plan to expand India’s nuclear capacity from its current level of approximately 8,180 MW as of early 2025, outl..