MoPSW identifies new Routes for Inland waterway

Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways (MoPSW) have identified new Routes for Inland waterways. The ministry has identified different domestic locations as well as 6 international routes. The ministry is continuously working to promote coastal shipping under the Sagarmala Project.

Key Points

• Domestic locations identified by the ministry are Okha, DIU, Hazira, Dahej, Somnath Temple,  PIPAVAV, Jamnagar, Mandvi, Kochi, Mumbai/JNPT, Goa, Mundra, and Ghogha.
• Six international routes identified by the ministry connect 4 international destinations namely Seychelles (East Africa), Chattogram (Bangladesh), Jaffna (Sri Lanka), and Madagascar (East Africa) from Indian major coastal port towns for the start of ferry services through inland waterways.
• Through Sagarmala Development Company Limited (SDCL), the ministry aims to help the companies in operating RO-PAX, RO-RO, and Ferry services on different routes across the country by providing the required support.
• The ministry has also implemented a similar ferry route recently by placing a RoPAX vessel ferry service between Hazira and Ghogha.
• This ferry service between Ghogha and Hazira has reduced the distance between Ghogha and Hazira to 90 Km from 370 Km. The time of travel has been reduced to around 5 hours from 10 to 12 hours earlier.
• With an aim to replicate the success of the above business model, the ministry is now encouraging the private operator to identify the routes for commencing the RO-RO, RO-PAX ferry service.

Sagarmala Project

The Sagarmala programme is the flagship programme of MoPSW for promoting port-led development in India through utilizing the country’s 7,500 Km long coastline and potentially navigable waterways.