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The Hindu
07-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
50,000 maritime sector jobs for northeast youth planned, says Sonowal
GUWAHATI The Centre has created a blueprint to prepare the youth of the northeastern States for 50,000 jobs in the maritime sector over the next 10 years, the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said on Monday (July 7, 2025). The Union government had set a target of generating 5,000 jobs for the eight-State region's youth annually through the Maritime Skill Development Centre in Guwahati, and the upcoming Centre of Excellence in Dibrugarh worth ₹200 crore, he said. 'Aligning with the Prime Minister's vision, we plan to train, enable, and empower 50,000 youth from the northeast with world-class maritime skills over the next decade, ensuring meaningful employment and growth,' Mr. Sonowal said at an event in Guwahati to mark 11 years of the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre. India's maritime sector had transformed since 2014, with a record growth in cargo-handling, capacity, and coastal shipping, he claimed. Major ports had nearly doubled their capacity while cruise tourism was rising with ambitious new terminals, he said. 'Key legislative and digital reforms, green shipping initiatives, and projects like the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project are strengthening regional connectivity and trade. India's ports are now globally competitive, with nine ranking in the World Bank's top 100, and the Visakhapatnam Port reaching the top 20,' Mr. Sonowal said. The Centre's commitment to making India a global maritime powerhouse and driving inclusive development across every coastal and riverine region had led to unprecedented growth from enhanced port capacity and cargo-handling to pioneering green shipping, cruise tourism, and skill development for the youth, he claimed. River lighthouses The success of lighthouse tourism along India's coast would be extended to the national waterways, including the Brahmaputra river, Mr. Sonowal said. He said the focus on upgrading and beautifying some 205 marine lighthouses had led to a 400% increase in tourist footfall from 4 lakh in 2014 to 16 lakh during the 2023-24 fiscal year. 'We plan to construct four tourist-friendly lighthouses on the Brahmaputra — once each at Bogibeel, Biswanath Ghat, Silghat, and Pandu (Guwahati). Apart from this, 85 community jetties would be built at strategic points on 20 national waterways in the northeast to facilitate cargo and passenger movement,' he said. The Shipping Ministry had undertaken projects worth ₹1,000 crore in the region's inland waterways sector since 2023, Mr. Sonowal said. These projects are scheduled for completion by 2025. The Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project, entailing road and river connectivity between Mizoram and Sittwe Port in Myanmar, was set to be fully operational by 2027, he further said. Bangladesh factor The political situation in Bangladesh had not affected inland water transport on the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol routes, Mr. Sonowal said. These routes allow cargo transport between India's mainland and the northeast on rivers through Bangladesh. 'The bilateral agreement on the movement of cargo vessels continues to stand. We are moving 4 million metric tonnes of goods on the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol routes annually,' he said. 'We want a good relationship with our neighbours, irrespective of their internal issues,' Mr. Sonowal said.
Time of India
21-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
India to defer world's longest river cruise via Bangladesh amid political unrest
India has decided to defer the world's longest river cruise from Varanasi to Dibrugarh via Dhaka due to political instability in Bangladesh. The cruise, which operates along the 3,200-km India-Bangladesh Protocol (IBP) route, has seen reduced interest from foreign tourists following adverse travel advisories after the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina government. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads India will defer running the world's longest river cruise-from Varanasi to Dibrugarh via Dhaka-till the political situation improves in strife-stricken aware of developments said adverse travel advisories against Bangladesh amid sustained unrest since the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina government last August has dampened interest in foreign tourists-the key target audience for the cruise. The cruise runs on the India-Bangladesh Protocol (IBP) route stretching 3,200 kilometres over a span of 50 in January 2023, the cruise ferried about 60 passengers till date. The maiden voyage ferried 36 tourists from Switzerland over 27 river systems across the two nations. The cruise connected Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Assam via Bangladesh. It is currently accepting bookings only for domestic voyages between Varanasi and Kolkata. "Cruise will resume only after elections and political stability in Bangladesh," said an official aware of the plans."Cargo movement on the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol (IBP) route is happening continuously," a senior official told ET adding that no issue has been faced so 4.88 lakh metric tonne cargo moved along the IBP route in April 2025, up from 4.28 lakh metric tonne in March this year. But passenger movement is restricted. While passenger services through Bangladesh are at a standstill, cargo operations are operational albeit at reduced volume."Cargo movement on the IBP route is happening continuously," a senior official said.
The Hindu
06-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
MoU signed for cargo movement by barges over inland waterways
: In a bid to start barge services for transporting cargo across key national waterways, the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) on Tuesday (May 6, 2025) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with global logistics major Rhenus Logistics India Private Limited. 'As part of the MoU, Rhenus will introduce 100 barges in a phased manner in the national waterways while 20 barges and 6 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,' the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways said in a statement. 'Inland waterways offer a remarkable opportunity to create a greener, cost-effective, and efficient logistics network,' Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbnanda Sonowal said, speaking at the event. To begin with, Rhenus will operate on the Ganga, Brahmaputra, and Barak rivers, as well as the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol route, moving bulk and break bulk (non-standardised, individual units of) cargo across the north, east, and northeast India, with gradual expansion to other national waterways. By leveraging Rhenus's expertise in European inland navigation, and its global fleet of over 1,100 barges, the partnership aims to bring global best practices to India. 'A combination of pushers and barges to suit the low draft navigation will be used to transport both bulk and break bulk cargo,' the Ministry said. The number of operational national waterways in India grew from three in 2014-15 to 24 by 2023-24, with a target of 29 by 2024-25. Cargo movement has surged from 30 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA) in 2014-15 to 133 MMTPA in 2023-24, adding up to the cumulative movement of over 779 MMT in the past decade, according to the Ministry. Currently, 14,500 km of navigable waterways span 111 declared national waterways, and the sector is poised to play a transformative role in the country's multimodal logistics framework, the Ministry said.
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Business Standard
06-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Germany's Rhenus Group to run 100 barges on India's inland waterways
In what could be a major driver for India's underutilised inland waterways sector, one of Europe's largest riverine operators, Rhenus Group, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways to operate 100 barges on Indian rivers. 'As part of the MoU, Rhenus will introduce 100 barges in a phased manner on national waterways, with 20 barges and six pushers to be deployed in the first phase, targeting the movement of more than one million tonnes of cargo annually by the end of 2025. The MoU will introduce inland waterways transport solutions and barge scheduled services. This will be scaled up to 100 barges within a few years to cover more national waterways under its ambit,' a statement by the shipping ministry said. The Group's Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Tobias Bartz, had told Business Standard in October 2024 that the company intended to invest at least $100 million in India's fledgling rivers for cargo operations — particularly project cargo. At the onset, Rhenus will operate on National Waterways 1 (Ganga), 2 (Brahmaputra) and 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 national waterways. '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. A combination of pushers and barges suited to low-draft navigation will be used to transport both bulk and break-bulk cargo,' the ministry said. Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said the ministry, through such initiatives, is focused on unlocking the full potential of inland water transport as a national growth engine powering the hinterland towards sustainable development and vigorous growth.
