1. INLAND WATER TRANSPORT IS
THE FUTURE LOGISTICS
DIMENSION OF INDIA
Presenting By
Mukesh Agrawal¹, Shikha Agarwal²
University of Petroleum & Energy Studies,
Dehradun
2. Introduction
Inland water transport has been considered as cost effective, relative
fuel efficient, environment friendly and more employment generating
mode of transport.
A number of countries are now taking initiative to make better use of
the existing capacity and making investment in IWT.
IWT is a good option for movement of bulk cargo like coal, steel,
cement, POL, fertilizers, food grains, stone chips, project cargo, edible
oil, ODC, silica sand etc
IWT developed well in British India; suffered in 20th century when
focus shifted to rail and road modes
Today India has an extensive network of rivers, canals, creeks etc. of
about 14500 kms, of which 5700 kms are navigable with mechanized
vessels
3. Introduction….
IWAI–the infrastructure provider, developer & regulator was set
up in October1986
Only National Water ways come under the purview of Central
Govt./IWAI
Other waterways are in the domain of respective State
Governments
Goa, West Bengal, Assam, Mumbai, Kerala have organized
movement of cargo
Cargo movement by IWT showing increasing trend:55.82 million
tonne in 2007 08 from 32.48 million tonnes in 2003-04
How ever, this is just 0.34% of the total inland cargo of about
1000 btkm!!
Target of about 2% by 2025
4. Introduction….
Several development projects aimed at enhancement of IWT
infrastructure and operation are underway not only in the European
and Western countries but also in Asia countries like
China, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and India.
In last five years movement of cargo by IWT mode in organized
sector
Transport based on inland waterways (or inland water
transport, IWT)—rivers, canals, lakes, etc. and also overlapping
coastal shipping in tidal rivers—constitutes 20% of the transport
sector in Germany (WB 2005) and 32% in Bangladesh
It continues to be a significant focus area for investments, such as an
Rs 300 crore investment planned by the Asian Development Bank
(ADB) (Indian Infrastructure 2004).
6. CARGO MOVBEMENT FOR NW-1, 2 &
3,2004-05 to 2007-08
Type of Cargo moved
STRETCH 2004-05 2005-06 2006-2007 2007-08
Cement, General cargo,
NW-1 MT 887,328 1,001,450 1,317,387 1,497,964 rice, wood logs, packed
The Ganga TKM 311,882,762 410,880,280 580,317,191 709,153,891 and bulk edible oil,
BTKM 0.312 0.411 0.580 0.709 petroleum oil, lubricants,
fly ash , pulses, stone
chip & iron dust
Cement, building
NW-2 MT 810,145 804,401 1,086,026* 1,304,114* Materials, Fertilizer,
The Brahmaputra TKM 38,093,094 32,160,989 172,769,869 42,236,249 Petro coke, food grain,
BTKM 0.038 0.032 0.173 0.042 coal, plant & machinery,
general cargo, etc inter
district & interstate cargo
& HSD
Sulphur, rock, phosphate,
NW -3 MT 1,158,783 1,172,889 1,022,776 673,127 liquefied ammonia, zinc,
West Cost Canal TKM 15,377,312 16,923,544 14,936,770 8,872,101 phosphoric acid gas,
BTKM 0.015 0.017 0.015 0.009 furnace concentrated,
petroleum product, zinc
& drinking water etc
MT 2,856,256 2,978,740 3,426,189 3,475,205
SUB Total in NWs TKM 365,353,168 459,964,813 768,023,830 760,262,241
BTKM 0.365 0.460 0.768 0.760
Source -IWAI local offices from IWT operators
7. National Waterways
1.) National Waterway–1
The Ganga- Bhagirathi- Hooghly River from Haldia to Allahabad –
1620 km.
Declared as National Waterway in 1986.
2.) National Waterway–2
The Brahmaputra from Dhubri to Sadiya – 891 km
Declared as National Waterway in 1988
3.) National Waterway–3
Kottapuram-Kollam sector of West Coast canal with Champakara &
Udyogmandal canals- 205km
Declared as National Waterway in 1993
8. National Waterways…
4.) Proposed National Water Ways (04)
Kakinada-Puducherry Canals integrated with rivers Godavari and
Krishna , Length-1095km Development cost-Rs 542cr (at2002prices)
5.) Proposed National Waterway (No 5)
East Coast Canal with Brahmaniriver & Mahanadidelta , Length-
623km,Developmentcost-Rs 1526cr (at2002prices)
6.) Proposed National Waterway (No 6)
River Barak, Length-121 km, Development cost-Rs 46cr
(at2002prices)
9. What are the Advantages of IWT?
Cargo transportation to the north east through Sunderbans-
Bangladesh-NW-2 waterway system and Sunderbans- Bangladesh-
Meghna- Barak waterway system are the shortest as compared to rail
and road networks.
During flood season, when other modes of transport are not
in operation, only IWT mode is the linking route for the NE region to
the rest of the country. Food grains and other basic commodities are
being taken to the NE region only through IWT mode during flood
season.
Bulk commodities and over dimensional cargo (for erection of
plants, projects etc) can be easily taken through IWT mode to
various destinations in the NE after its import at Kolkata/ Haldia ports.
10. What are the Advantages of IWT?
A visible modal shift in cargo transportation to IWT in the region. It is
expected that the projected cargo of 6 million ton-km will be moved
through NW-2 by 2020 AD.
Additional employment generation of 27,047 is expected by 2020 AD
which corresponds to Rs 0.9 million/ day.
IWT will develop as an alternative mode of transport- the
development will make the river way worthy for safe and smooth
operation of cargo movement.
Moving freight through barges helps in reducing the level
of congestion on road and rail tracks.
As it is environment friendly, it creates less noise pollution and
reduces pollutants levels in the air thereby reducing expenditure
on medical aid.
11. What are the Advantages of IWT?...
The development also boost up the social development of
the hinterland- the expected economic yield of investment is about
15%
IWT advantages will ensure minimum human loss as against
frequent accident on rail and roads.
Proper bandalling and channel maintenance will prevent soil
erosion and siltation of rivers, provide better quality of water
and ensure biodiversity in the area.
Development of tourism circuits - Guwahati- Kaziranga via
Tezpur, Tezpur- Singri-Viswanath, and Kaziranga- Jorhat (Neamati)
Sibsagar.
Increase in trade and commerce
12. Challenges for IWT
Measures to increase cargo movement through IWT from 0.3 % to
2% (7times) by the year 2025
Limited number of IWT vessels suitable for operation on NW1 &
NW2 available
Measures for providing an impetus to IWT vessel construction
activity in India
Measures for optimum utilization of infrastructure created on
existing NWs
Development of NW 4 & 5 proposed in the next eight-ten years
13. Opportunities for IWT
Private Sector needs to chip in with investments for overcoming scarcity
of IWT vessels
About 40 barges of 1500 t capacity will be required for NTPC project
Movement of steel to NE states, POL, cement, edible oil, fertilizers, food
grains etc on NW 1, NW 2 & Indo – Bangladesh Protocol route may
require another 60 vessels
Vessels can be bought from abroad – Bangladesh - at cheaper prices
Multi-modal logistics solution alone can lead to economic growth
IWT is an emerging field – pioneers will reap rich rewards
14. Conclusion:
If the inland waterways have to emerge as vibrant and
flourishing centre’s for fostering large scale cargo movements and
commercial use, a number of steps need to be taken. Some of these
are providing periodic dredging, river training, night navigation
facilities, a minimum LAD of 2 meters, development of
berthing facilities with mechanized horizontal and vertical cargo
handling at reasonable cost and inter-modal linkages to provide
rapid access and egress to truck traffic at terminals. Furthermore
provision of storage, bunkering and repair facilities will not only
enhance the commercial value of the terminals but will also provide
sufficient value addition in order to make the IWT terminals an
eminently economically viable option.
15. References
Annual Report 2007-08 of Inland Waterways Authority of India
CIWTC (2004b), Fixed Schedule Sailing National Waterway 1; A
Report, Central Inland Water Transport Corporation, Kolkata.
Raghuram, G. (2004), Integrating Coastal Shipping with National
Transport Network in India, Proceedings of the International Association
of Maritime Economists, Annual Conference 2004, vol. II, School of
Maritime Business and Management, Dokuz Eylul Publications, Izmir.
Rahman, Mushfequr (1994), ‘National Transport System of Bangladesh’,
Asian Transport Journal, November, Asian Institute of Transport
Development, New Delhi.
Rangaraj, N. and G. Raghuram (2005a), Inland Water Transport, Research
paper commissioned by the Asian Development Bank and the Department
of Economic Affairs, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad and
Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay.
16. References..
Rangaraj, N. and G. Raghuram (2005b), Systems Perspectives on
Inland Water Transport for Freight Movement, presented at the
37th annual meeting of the Operational Research Society of India,
Ahmedabad, January 8–11.
SRFDCL (1998), Sabarmati Riverfront Development, Sabarmati
Riverfront Development Corporation, Ahmedabad, May.
TRW (2001), Statistics of Inland Water Transport 1999-2000,
Transport Research Wing, Ministry of Shipping, Government of India,
New Delhi.
TRW (2002), Statistics of Inland Water Transport 2000-01,
Transport Research Wing, Ministry of Shipping, Government of India,
New Delhi.
WB (2005), China Inland Waterways Project, The World Bank, http://
www.worldbank.org/transport/ports/iwt_dev.htm
