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The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) is pushing for e-commerce cargo movement via the country’s 14,500 km-odd river systems and backwaters.
In a first, the IWAI has signed an MoU with Amazon to explore cargo movement and transport of customer shipments and products via the inland waterways using river Ganges (the National Waterway 1). A pilot will soon be initiated between Patna and Kolkata with support from the waterways authority and its carriers.
“This partnership seeks to harness the efficiency and sustainability of water transport to optimise logistics, diminish environmental footprints, and promote economic development,” the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) said in a statement.
Eco-friendly mode
According to a World Bank Report, rail and road transport consume 18.5 per cent and 91.6 pet cent more fuel than water transport, making the latter most environmentally-friendly mode of transportation.
“With the beginning of this service, the artisans, the entrepreneurs and the traders of India’s hinterland will find an opportunity to sell their products in the wider market, both nationally and internationally, reasonably, easily at an affordable cost via an efficient mode of transportation,” Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, said.
According to him, Amazon will be able to utilise all possible modes of transport in the country, including rail, air, water, and surface, to ensure faster, cost-effective, sustainable and more reliable delivery customer packages. The partnership will not only benefit Amazon by lowering their transportation cost but also open up new possibilities for all e-commerce companies to leverage the extensive inland waterways in India.
Collaboratively, IWAI and Amazon are poised to explore and implement state-of-the-art solutions, addressing the evolving needs of the e-commerce industry.
Under Sagarmala – the flagship infrastructure augmentation programme of the Ministry - some 113 projects worth ₹7,030 crore related to RoRo / RoPax and Inland Water Transport. Out of these projects 15, projects worth ₹1,100 crore have been completed and 32 projects worth ₹3,900 crore are under implementation.
Upto 2023, the cargo handled by the Inland Waterways is 126 million tonnes (mt); and he Ministry aims to increase inland water transport volumes to over 200 mt by 2030; and over 500 mt by 2047.
The MoPSW also plans to increasing the number of operational waterways to 23 by 2030.
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