In a significant step towards enhancing trade connectivity in the northeastern region of India, the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) and Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) have inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to utilize National Waterway-2 (NW-2), also known as the Brahmaputra River, and the Indo Bangladesh Protocol Route (IBPR) for exporting petroleum products to Bangladesh and other Southeast Asian countries. The MoU signing ceremony, graced by Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, Sarbananda Sonowal, marks a pivotal moment for the promotion of trade and cargo movement in the region.
The MoU, aligned with the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, is aimed at propelling India’s Act East Policy and driving the vision of Hydrocarbon Vision 2030 for the Northeast. Under this strategic collaboration, NRL is slated to export approximately 10,000 metric tonnes of petroleum and petrochemical products every month from the IWAI Jogighopa Multi Modal terminal.
A key component of this partnership is the establishment of a POL Oil Terminal by NRL at the Jogighopa Logistics Park, complete with rail connectivity. This development will pave the way for the seamless transportation of petroleum products and unlock a new era of EXIM trade opportunities for the Northeast region.
Sarbananda Sonowal, speaking on the occasion, hailed this collaboration as a watershed moment for inland waterways, noting its potential to bring transformative change to cargo movement in the region. He commended the visionary Act East policy led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asserting that it has the potential to turn Northeast India into an engine of growth for the entire country.
Under the terms of the MoU, IWAI will provide its terminal for cargo movement, extend technical support, allocate land for laying down petroleum pipelines, and establish bunkering facilities at various points along the IBPR. Additionally, IWAI will offer assistance through its vessels, including tugs, work boats, and survey vessels, as and when needed. On the other side of the partnership, NRL will allocate 40 acres of land, establish loading and unloading facilities, and realize the vision of transporting 10,000 MT of petroleum products per month through NW-2 and IBPR from the IWAI jetty at Jogighopa MMT Park.
Sonowal emphasized that this collaboration holds special significance as it supports the broader goal of the “Act East Policy”. He highlighted the remarkable growth in cargo handling on National Waterways, which has surged from 6.89 MMT in 2013-14 to an impressive 126.15 MMT in 2022-23, showcasing an exceptional growth rate of 1,734%. The minister also highlighted the growth of National Waterways for Cruise Tourism, with the number of routes increasing from 3 in 2013-14 to 10 in 2022-23, marking a growth of over 233%.
NRL is currently executing the Numaligarh Refinery Expansion Project (NREP), a significant modernization effort with a capital expenditure of ₹28,026 crore. As part of this project, NRL successfully transported several Over Dimension Consignments (ODC) and Overweight Consignments (OWC) via the IBPR and NW-2, showcasing the effectiveness of inland waterways for cargo movement.
