Water transport in India


Water transport in India has played a significant role in the country's economy and is indispensable to foreign trade. India is endowed with an extensive network of waterways in the form of rivers, canals, backwaters, creeks and a long coastline accessible through the seas and oceans. It has the largest carrying capacity of any form of transport and is most suitable for carrying bulky goods over long distances.
It is one of the cheapest modes of transport in India, as it takes advantage of natural track and does not require huge capital investment in construction and maintenance except in the case of canals. Its fuel efficiency contributes to lower operating costs and reduced environmental impact due to carbon. India has of inland waterways, out of which are navigable by mechanized vessels etc.
Since 1947, India has made great progress in shipping and gradually became the second largest shipping country in Asia and sixth largest in the world. Indian ships ply on most of the shipping route of the world. India has a -long coastline with only twelve major ports: Mumbai, Kandla, Jawaharlal Nehru Port, Marmagaon, New Mangalore and Kochi on the west coast, alongside Kolkata, Chennai, Haldia, Paradeep, Vishakhapatnam and Tuticorin on the east coast.
Jawaharlal Nehru Port of Mumbai has been developed as one of the major ports. It is the only fully mechanized port of India. The biggest port is Mumbai which handles largest number of ships as well as trade. Kandla port in Gujarat compensates the loss of the Port of Karachi to Pakistan. Vishakhapatnam is the third largest port of India. Kolkata is the largest inland port of Asia.
Inland Waterways Authority of India has a vision to raise India's 111 national waterway's current cargo handling capacity from 55 MT in 2017–18 and 72 MT in 2018–19 to 100 MT by 2021–22.

Benefits of waterways transport

The cost of water transport in India is roughly a kilometre, as compared to by railways and by roads. Water transport has received significant attention in recent times as logistical costs in India are some of the highest among major countries—18 percent in India versus 8-10 percent in China and 10-12 percent in the European Union. To increase the share of waterways in inland transport, the National Waterways Act, 2016 was passed which proposed 106 additional National Waterways. This has the potential to greatly reduce the cost of transportation and lower the nation's carbon footprint by moving traffic from surface roads and railroads to waterways. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the first Ro-Ro ferry service in Gujarat in October 2017.
Freight transport by waterways is highly under-utilized in India compared to other large countries and geographic areas such as the United States, China and the European Union. The total cargo moved by inland waterways was 0.1 percent of the total inland traffic in India, compared to the 21 percent figure for the United States.

Inland waterways

India has an extensive network of inland waterways in the form of rivers, canals, backwaters and creeks. The total navigable length is, out of which about of river and of canal can be used by mechanized crafts. About of cargo are moved annually through these waterways using mechanized vessels and country boats.
Cargo transported in an organized manner is confined to a few waterways in Goa, West Bengal, Assam and Kerala. Inland waterways consist of the Ganges-Bhagirathi-Hooghly rivers, the Brahmaputra, the Barak river, the rivers in Goa, the backwaters in Kerala, inland waters in Mumbai and the deltaic regions of the Godavari-Krishna rivers.
Vessels / terminalsConstruction, operation & maintenanceGovernment agenciesPublic sector enterprisesPrivate sector enterprises
WaterwayConstructing of waterwayIWAICIWTC in Sundarbans-
WaterwayMaintenance of WaterwayIWAISubcontracted DredgingSubcontracted Dredging
WaterwayNavigational SupportIWAIPorts, near port areas GPS suppliers -
Carriers
Vessel Manufacturing–CIWTC, Hooghly Docks, Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE)Several
Carriers
Vessel ownershipIWAICIWTC/KSINCL and othersSeveral
Carriers
Vessel maintenance/repair–CIWTC/KSINCL and othersSeveral
Carriers
Vessel Operation–CIWTC/KSINCL and othersSeveral
Terminals
Terminal constructionIWAI and State GovernmentMormugao Port Trust, CIWTCSeveral
Terminals
Terminal operation–Mormugao Port TrustSeveral

Coastal and coastline waterways

Transport facilities available by ship along India's vast coastline are part of the coastal shipping system. Coastal shipping is one of the most important aspects of Indian Transport system. The country has a coastline of nearly including the coastline of Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep Island. India has the largest merchant shipping fleet among developing countries and ranks 19th worldwide. Past decades saw a sharp decline in the country's coastal shipping operation. In 1961, there were 97 ships and in 1980 the number was down to 56. The shipping policy committee has recommended that Indian ships secure 100% of the country's coastal trade.

Water metros

Water metro in India is ferry transport system across India using battery-operated electric hybrid boats. In 2025, Kochi Metro Rail Limited  was undertaking feasibility studies for water metros in 18 cities across 11 states and two Union Territories. Existing and planned water metro in India including the following :