{"id":127649,"date":"2026-10-05T21:16:26","date_gmt":"2026-10-05T15:46:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=127649"},"modified":"2026-10-05T21:21:02","modified_gmt":"2026-10-05T15:51:02","slug":"water-transport-in-india","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/water-transport-in-india\/","title":{"rendered":"Water Transport in India, Types, Importance, Challenges"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b>Water Transport in India<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is an important mode of transportation that facilitates the movement of <\/span><b>goods and passengers through rivers, canals, inland waterways, coastal routes and seas<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. It is particularly suitable for carrying <\/span><b>heavy and bulky goods over long distances<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> at relatively low cost and with better fuel efficiency. With the development of <\/span><b>National Waterways, ports and multimodal connectivity<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, water transport is gaining greater importance in India&#8217;s transport and logistics network.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Water Transport in India<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><b>Water Transport in India<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is one of the oldest, most economical and energy-efficient modes of transportation. It uses <\/span><b>rivers, canals, backwaters, coastal routes and seas<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to move passengers and cargo. Because waterways provide a natural route and can carry large quantities of bulky goods, they are particularly important for <\/span><b>freight movement, foreign trade and multimodal logistics<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India has about <\/span><b>14,500 km of potentially navigable inland waterways<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, while the National Waterways Act, 2016 declared <\/span><b>111 waterways as National Waterways<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. As of 2026, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways reports that <\/span><b>32 National Waterways have been operationalised<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, while cargo movement on inland waterways reached <\/span><b>218 million tonnes in 2025-26<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Types of Water Transport in India<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Water transport in India can broadly be divided into <\/span><b>Inland Water Transport (IWT)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>Ocean Transport<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. While inland waterways facilitate movement through rivers, canals and other inland water bodies, ocean transport connects Indian coastal regions with domestic and international markets.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>1. Inland Water Transport<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Inland Water Transport (IWT)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> involves the movement of goods and passengers through <\/span><b>navigable rivers, canals, backwaters, creeks and other inland water bodies<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. It is particularly suitable for transporting <\/span><b>heavy and bulky commodities<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> such as coal, minerals, cement, foodgrains and petroleum products.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Rivers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> provide natural routes for inland navigation, while <\/span><b>canals<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are artificial waterways developed mainly for navigation, irrigation or both. Their effectiveness depends on factors such as <\/span><b>adequate water depth, navigational infrastructure and year-round navigability<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India has <\/span><b>111 <a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/national-waterways-in-india\/\" target=\"_blank\">National Waterways<\/a><\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, declared under the <\/span><b>National Waterways Act, 2016<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which provide a framework for developing waterways, terminals, fairways and other supporting infrastructure.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Inland waterways offer <\/span><b>high carrying capacity and better fuel efficiency<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> compared with road transport for suitable cargo. They can also reduce pressure on highways and railways by shifting a part of bulk freight movement to waterways.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>2. Ocean Transport<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ocean transport involves the movement of goods and passengers through <\/span><b>coastal and international maritime routes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. It plays an important role in domestic coastal connectivity as well as India&#8217;s <\/span><b>foreign trade<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Coastal Shipping<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Coastal shipping<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> involves the movement of goods and passengers between ports along India&#8217;s coastline. It is particularly suitable for <\/span><b>bulk commodities<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> such as coal, iron ore and petroleum products and can complement road and rail transport.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Overseas Shipping<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Overseas shipping<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> connects Indian ports with international markets and is essential for India&#8217;s <\/span><b>maritime trade and global supply chains<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Different vessels are used depending on the nature and volume of cargo.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Major Inland Waterways in India<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The development of <\/span><b>National Waterways<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is central to India&#8217;s strategy for expanding inland water transport. Some of the important waterways include the following:<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>National Waterway 1<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>National Waterway 1 (NW-1)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> runs along the <\/span><b>Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly river system<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from <\/span><b>Haldia\/Sagar in West Bengal to Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, covering approximately <\/span><b>1,620 km<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. It passes through West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and forms one of India&#8217;s most important inland freight corridors.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> focuses on improving navigability and developing terminals and other infrastructure along NW-1. The waterway has strategic importance because it connects the industrial and agricultural hinterlands of northern and eastern India with the maritime gateway region of the lower Ganga.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>National Waterway 2<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>National Waterway 2<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is located on the <\/span><b>Brahmaputra River in Assam<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and provides an important inland navigation route in northeastern India. It has significance not only for cargo movement but also for improving regional connectivity in a geographically challenging area.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Development of NW-2 can strengthen connectivity between Assam and other parts of the Northeast while supporting the movement of agricultural products, construction materials and other commodities. It also has potential to complement road and rail connectivity in the region.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>National Waterway 3<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>National Waterway 3<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is associated with the <\/span><b>West Coast Canal system in Kerala<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, along with connected waterways. Kerala&#8217;s extensive network of backwaters, canals and coastal waterways provides favourable conditions for both passenger and cargo transportation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The waterway also has significance for <\/span><b>tourism, local transportation and regional connectivity<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Greater integration of waterways with roads and other transport systems can improve their economic utility.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>National Waterway 4<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>National Waterway 4<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> covers the <\/span><b>Kakinada-Puducherry Canal system and connected river stretches<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. It provides an important east-coast inland waterway network connecting several riverine and canal-based transport routes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The development of NW-4 can improve the movement of bulk commodities and strengthen connections between inland production areas, industrial centres and coastal ports.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>National Waterway 5<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>National Waterway 5<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> includes important stretches of the <\/span><b>East Coast Canal and river systems associated with the Brahmani and Mahanadi delta regions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, particularly in Odisha. Its development can support the movement of bulk cargo and improve connectivity with coastal economic centres.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Other Important Waterways<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Apart from the major waterways mentioned above, several other National Waterways have potential for regional cargo and passenger movement. These include waterways associated with the <\/span><b>Barak River system, Goa&#8217;s rivers and waterways in eastern and southern India<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The development of these waterways depends on local conditions such as navigable depth, cargo potential, terminal infrastructure, connectivity with roads and railways, and the availability of suitable vessels.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Also Read: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/national-waterways-in-india\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>National Waterways in India<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><b>Major Ports and Water Transport Infrastructure in India<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India&#8217;s maritime transport system depends on an extensive network of <\/span><b>major and non-major ports<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, terminals, shipping services and hinterland connectivity. Ports act as important gateways through which domestic production is connected with international markets.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>Major Port Authorities Act, 2021<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> provides the legal framework for the regulation, operation and planning of India&#8217;s major ports and provides for the management of major ports through Boards of Major Port Authorities. The current framework covers <\/span><b>12 major ports<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Efficient port infrastructure is essential for water transport because cargo movement does not end at the waterfront. <\/span><b>Road and railway connectivity, cargo-handling facilities, warehousing, logistics parks and digital systems<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are necessary to ensure smooth movement between ports and their hinterlands.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Significance of Water Transport in India<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Low transportation cost:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Waterways generally require lower operating costs than road transport, particularly when large quantities of bulk commodities are transported over long distances. This can help reduce the overall logistics cost of industries dependent on heavy raw materials.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>High carrying capacity:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Inland vessels can carry substantial quantities of cargo in a single trip. This makes waterways especially suitable for commodities such as coal, iron ore, cement, foodgrains, fertilisers and other heavy or bulky materials.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Fuel and energy efficiency:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Water transport can move cargo using relatively less energy per tonne-kilometre compared with many land-based modes. Its greater energy efficiency also gives it potential for reducing the carbon intensity of the freight sector.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Reduction in road and rail congestion:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Greater use of inland waterways can shift part of the freight burden away from highways and railway networks. This can help reduce traffic congestion, road maintenance requirements and pressure on existing rail freight corridors.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Scope for multimodal transportation:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Inland waterways can be integrated with roads, railways and ports to create an efficient <\/span><b>multimodal transport network<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Terminals connected to road and rail networks can help overcome the limitation that waterways cannot usually provide direct door-to-door transportation.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Challenges of Water Transport in India<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Low speed:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Inland water transport is generally slower than road, rail and air transport. Therefore, it is more suitable for cargo where transportation speed is less important than cost and carrying capacity.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Seasonal variations:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Changes in river discharge, particularly during dry seasons, can reduce navigable depth in certain stretches. Floods, droughts and variations in water levels can also affect the reliability of inland navigation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Siltation and changing river morphology:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Rivers frequently experience silt deposition, erosion and changes in their channels. Maintaining adequate navigational depth therefore requires continuous monitoring, dredging and other river-management measures.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Limited geographical coverage:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Waterways do not reach every production centre or consumption market. Cargo therefore needs to be transported between terminals and the final destination through road or rail, making efficient first- and last-mile connectivity essential.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Infrastructure constraints:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Lack of adequate terminals, jetties, cargo-handling facilities, storage infrastructure, navigation aids and maintenance facilities can restrict the wider adoption of inland water transport.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Government Initiatives for Water Transport in India<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Government of India has introduced several initiatives to <\/span><b>develop inland waterways, modernise ports, improve navigability and strengthen multimodal connectivity<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Major initiatives and programmes supporting water transport in India are discussed below.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Sagarmala Programme<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/sagarmala-project\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Sagarmala Programme<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, launched in <\/span><b>March 2015<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, is a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways aimed at promoting <\/span><b>port-led development<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Its focus areas include port modernisation, port connectivity, port-linked industrialisation and development of coastal communities.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The programme also promotes <\/span><b>coastal shipping and inland water transport<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as part of India&#8217;s broader effort to develop efficient and multimodal logistics networks. It seeks to improve the integration of ports with industrial clusters, economic centres and transport corridors.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Jal Marg Vikas Project<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> focuses on developing the navigational and terminal infrastructure of <\/span><b>National Waterway 1<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The project is intended to improve the movement of large vessels and cargo between the Ganga hinterland and the maritime gateway at the lower end of the waterway.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Development under JMVP includes interventions such as <\/span><b>fairway development, multimodal terminals and navigation-related infrastructure<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. It is an important example of India&#8217;s efforts to convert inland waterways into commercially viable freight corridors.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>National Waterways Act, 2016<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>National Waterways Act, 2016<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> declared <\/span><b>111 waterways as National Waterways<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, creating a common legal framework for their development and regulation. The total length of these National Waterways is about <\/span><b>20,187 km<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> according to current Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways data.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, declaration as a National Waterway does not automatically mean that every waterway is fully operational. At present, <\/span><b>32 National Waterways are operational<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, covering about <\/span><b>5,155 km<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and further development is being undertaken based on navigational and cargo potential.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Inland Vessels Act, 2021<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>Inland Vessels Act, 2021<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> modernised the regulatory framework governing inland vessels in India. It seeks to bring greater uniformity in standards related to registration, safety and navigation of inland vessels across states.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A modern and standardised regulatory framework is important for increasing private investment and improving the safety and efficiency of inland water transport. The Ministry has subsequently notified additional rules and regulations under the new framework.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>PM Gati Shakti<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/pm-gati-shakti\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>PM Gati Shakti<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> promotes integrated infrastructure planning by bringing different transport modes into a common framework. For water transport, this can improve coordination between <\/span><b>ports, waterways, roads, railways, logistics facilities and industrial centres<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Such multimodal integration is important because the success of waterways depends not only on navigability but also on efficient movement of cargo before and after its waterborne journey.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>National Waterways (Construction of Jetties\/Terminals) Regulations, 2025<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>National Waterways (Construction of Jetties\/Terminals) Regulations, 2025<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> provide a framework intended to facilitate the development of jetties and terminals on National Waterways. The regulations are aimed at encouraging infrastructure development and greater participation of private stakeholders.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Maritime India Vision 2030<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/maritime-india-vision-2030\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>Maritime India Vision (MIV) 2030<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a <\/span><b>10-year roadmap<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways for the holistic development of India&#8217;s maritime sector. It includes <\/span><b>150 initiatives across 10 core themes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, covering ports, shipping, inland waterways, logistics, technology, sustainability and global maritime cooperation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The vision focuses on <\/span><b>port infrastructure, logistics efficiency, shipbuilding, coastal and inland waterway traffic, technology, sustainability and policy reforms<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to strengthen India&#8217;s position as a leading maritime nation.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Way Forward for Water Transport in India<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Develop multimodal connectivity:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Waterways should be integrated with roads, railways, ports, logistics parks and industrial corridors so that cargo can move smoothly from the production centre to the final destination.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Improve navigability:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Regular hydrographic surveys, scientific dredging where required, river training and better navigation aids can improve the reliability of National Waterways and allow vessels to operate more efficiently.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Expand terminals and jetties:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Modern terminals with mechanised cargo-handling facilities, storage infrastructure and road-rail connectivity should be developed at locations with strong cargo potential.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Promote green vessels:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Greater adoption of electric, LNG\/CNG and other cleaner propulsion technologies can reduce the environmental footprint of inland navigation. Green hydrogen and green methanol can also become relevant as technology and infrastructure mature.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Encourage private investment:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Stable regulations, transparent procedures, improved infrastructure and better cargo aggregation can encourage private operators to invest in vessels, terminals, logistics services and related infrastructure.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Strengthen digital navigation:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Digital systems, vessel tracking, electronic documentation, real-time information and modern navigation aids can improve safety, efficiency and transparency in inland water transport.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Protect river ecosystems:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Infrastructure development should be undertaken with adequate environmental safeguards so that the economic benefits of waterways do not come at the cost of riverine ecosystems and biodiversity.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Read about Water Transport in India its types, major National Waterways, importance, advantages, challenges and government initiatives to strengthen waterway connectivity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":127297,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[786],"tags":[5104,5105,10692],"class_list":["post-127649","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-general-studies","tag-economy","tag-economy-notes","tag-water-transport-in-india","no-featured-image-padding"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/127649","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/29"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=127649"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/127649\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":127673,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/127649\/revisions\/127673"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/127297"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=127649"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=127649"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=127649"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}