<p data-path-to-node="2" id="p-rc_fc7806dac85a6d4b-161"><span data-path-to-node="2,0"><b data-path-to-node="2,0" data-index-in-node="0">DIBRUGARH / KOLKATA —</b> In an operational milestone expanding India’s inland riverine commercial footprint under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan</span><span data-path-to-node="2,1"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><source-footnote _nghost-ng-c1708829769="" class="ng-star-inserted"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c1708829769="" class="superscript"><!----></sup></source-footnote><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></span><span data-path-to-node="2,2">, the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), operating under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW)</span><span data-path-to-node="2,3"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><source-footnote _nghost-ng-c1708829769="" class="ng-star-inserted"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c1708829769="" class="superscript"><!----></sup></source-footnote><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></span><span data-path-to-node="2,4">, has officially flagged off the country’s first international inland liquid chemical parcel shipment departing from the Bogibeel multimodal inland river terminal in Dibrugarh, Assam</span><span data-path-to-node="2,5"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><source-footnote _nghost-ng-c1708829769="" class="ng-star-inserted"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c1708829769="" class="superscript"><!----></sup></source-footnote><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></span><span data-path-to-node="2,6">.</span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c3250792215=""><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p><p data-path-to-node="3" id="p-rc_fc7806dac85a6d4b-162"><span data-path-to-node="3,0">The maiden commercial voyage carries a certified parcel of 1,200 metric tonnes of high-purity industrial methanol manufactured by Assam Petro-chemicals Limited (APL) at Namrup. Navigating along National Waterway-2 (NW-2) down the main fairway of the Brahmaputra River, the specialized shallow-draft river tanker barge is transiting the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol (IBP) trade route through Dhubri, entering the delta network via Narayanganj and the Sundarbans estuarine channels before reaching deepwater transshipment berths along the Bay of Bengal for final loading onto an international parcel tanker</span><span data-path-to-node="3,1"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><source-footnote _nghost-ng-c1708829769="" class="ng-star-inserted"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c1708829769="" class="superscript"><!----></sup></source-footnote><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></span><span data-path-to-node="3,2">.</span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c3250792215=""><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p><p data-path-to-node="4" id="p-rc_fc7806dac85a6d4b-163"><span data-path-to-node="4,0">Historically, chemical manufacturing clusters, petrochemical producers, and industrial processing units operating across Upper Assam and the wider Northeastern Region faced persistent logistics vulnerabilities. Cargo movements were forced to rely almost entirely on multi-axle hazardous road tankers navigating the narrow Siliguri Corridor ("Chicken's Neck")</span><span data-path-to-node="4,1"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><source-footnote _nghost-ng-c1708829769="" class="ng-star-inserted"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c1708829769="" class="superscript"><!----></sup></source-footnote><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></span><span data-path-to-node="4,2">. That saturated overland truck route subjected dangerous industrial liquids to severe highway congestion, monsoon-induced landslides, heavy inter-state toll delays, and transit windows spanning 14 to 18 days to reach eastern maritime docks in West Bengal or Odisha</span><span data-path-to-node="4,3"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><source-footnote _nghost-ng-c1708829769="" class="ng-star-inserted"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c1708829769="" class="superscript"><!----></sup></source-footnote><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></span><span data-path-to-node="4,4">.</span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c3250792215=""><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p><p data-path-to-node="5" id="p-rc_fc7806dac85a6d4b-164"><span data-path-to-node="5,0">The waterborne transit model deployed by IWAI bypasses the Siliguri surface bottleneck entirely, trimming overall transit lead times by more than eight days and lowering freight haulage expenditures by an estimated 32% per tonne-kilometer relative to long-haul road transport</span><span data-path-to-node="5,1"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><source-footnote _nghost-ng-c1708829769="" class="ng-star-inserted"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c1708829769="" class="superscript"><!----></sup></source-footnote><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></span><span data-path-to-node="5,2">.</span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c3250792215=""><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p><p data-path-to-node="6" id="p-rc_fc7806dac85a6d4b-165"><span data-path-to-node="6,0">The chemical barge is outfitted with double-hull safety containment compartments, automated nitrogen-inerting vapor barriers, and Class-A electronic monitoring suites certified under Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) inland chemical safety norms</span><span data-path-to-node="6,1"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><source-footnote _nghost-ng-c1708829769="" class="ng-star-inserted"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c1708829769="" class="superscript"><!----></sup></source-footnote><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></span><span data-path-to-node="6,2">. To guarantee uninterrupted clearance across the cross-border transit corridor, the shipment utilizes an integrated customs digital architecture. Cryptographically authenticated electronic Transit Declarations (e-TD) and Electronic Cargo Tracking System (ECTS) satellite seals interface directly with the Indian Customs ICEGATE single window and Bangladesh Customs portals, allowing the vessel to navigate designated customs checkposts without repetitive physical hatch inspections or cargo de-stuffing holds</span><span data-path-to-node="6,3"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><source-footnote _nghost-ng-c1708829769="" class="ng-star-inserted"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c1708829769="" class="superscript"><!----></sup></source-footnote><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></span><span data-path-to-node="6,4">.</span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c3250792215=""><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p><p data-path-to-node="7" id="p-rc_fc7806dac85a6d4b-166"><span data-path-to-node="7,0">In a statement delivered during the flag-off ceremony in Dibrugarh, regional administration officials and IWAI executives underscored that the operationalization of commercial river-tanker sailings along NW-2 and the IBP corridor validates inland waterways as a reliable conduit for hazardous IMO-class industrial goods</span><span data-path-to-node="7,1"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><source-footnote _nghost-ng-c1708829769="" class="ng-star-inserted"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c1708829769="" class="superscript"><!----></sup></source-footnote><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></span><span data-path-to-node="7,2">. The authority confirmed that scheduled bi-weekly riverine chemical sailings will be integrated into the river operating timetable, providing Northeastern manufacturers with an economical, low-emission gateway to global export markets</span><span data-path-to-node="7,3"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><source-footnote _nghost-ng-c1708829769="" class="ng-star-inserted"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c1708829769="" class="superscript"><!----></sup></source-footnote><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></span><span data-path-to-node="7,4">.</span></p>