• The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) signed an agreement with global logistics major Rhenus Group to boost the inland waterways sector of India.

• The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) facilitates Rhenus Logistics India Pvt Ltd to commence scheduled barge operations across key National Waterways (NWs) in India.

• IWAI is the nodal agency for National Waterways under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways.

• Rhenus Logistics is a Germany-based international logistics service provider operating globally in more than 70 countries.

• As part of the MoU, Rhenus will introduce 100 barges in a phased manner in the National Waterways while 20 barges and six pushers are to be deployed in the first phase, targeting the movement of more than one million tonnes of cargo annually by the end of 2025.

• Rhenus will operate on NW 1 (Ganga), NW 2 (Brahmaputra), and NW 16 (Barak), as well as the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol (IBP) route. 

• These operations will facilitate the movement of bulk and break-bulk cargo across North, East, and Northeast India, with gradual expansion to other NWs. 

• Leveraging Rhenus expertise in European inland navigation and a global fleet of over 1,100 barges, the partnership aims to integrate global best practices into the Indian IWT ecosystem.

• Cargo movement has surged from 30 MMTPA in 2014-15 to 133 MMTPA in 2023-24, contributing to a cumulative movement of over 779 MMT in the past decade.

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