In a major development, Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Rhenus Logistics India Private Limited, to operate their barge services in various national waterways in India.
Rhenus Logistics is a Germany-based international logistics service provider operating globally in more than 70 countries with an annual turnover of EUR 8.2 billion.
The agreement was signed in the presence of Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Mr. Sarbananda Sonowal in New Delhi. Mr. T.K. Ramachandran, Secretary, MoPSW; Mr. Vijay Kumar, Chairman, IWAI, along with other senior officials of the Authority and representatives of Rhenus Logistics India were present at the occasion.
Under the MoU, Rhenus Logistics will deploy 100 cargo vessels along with pusher tugs in a phased manner along NW-1, NW-2, NW-16 and the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol (IBP) routes.
During the first phase starting from the third quarter of 2025, about 20 barges and six pusher tugs are expected to be deployed in these waterways.
