Rhenus signs MoU with Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI)
Under the agreement, Rhenus will operate barge services on national waterways in India.
Rhenus Group signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) on 5 May 2025 at the IWAI office. The MoU was formally exchanged in the presence of the Hon'ble Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Government of India, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, on 6 May 2025. Under the agreement, Rhenus will operate barge services on national waterways in India, introducing push boats and 20 flat-bottom barges from Germany with a capacity of 400 tonnes each, which can be combined to transport up to 1,200 tonnes per trip. The company plans to expand its fleet to 100 barges as demand grows, with the goal of moving over a million tonnes of cargo per year by 2025.
Rhenus India will begin operations on national waterways NW-1, NW-2, NW-16, and the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol route (IBP), with plans to gradually cover more waterways across India. The services will use pushers and barges to move bulk and break-bulk cargo across North, East, and Northeast India, as well as neighbouring countries. Rhenus is also leveraging its European inland navigation expertise to support this venture.
Vivek Arya, CEO of Rhenus Logistics India and Global CEO of Rhenus Warehousing Solutions Intercontinental, said, "With over 100 years of dedicated expertise in inland waterway operations across Europe, Rhenus is excited to partner with IWAI in this transformative journey to create a smarter, greener and more economical logistics network."
Michael de Reese, Division Head of Rhenus Port Logistics, added, "Inland navigation is the backbone of the producing economy in Germany as well as in Europe. With our expertise and our broad experience in mastering challenges such as infrastructure construction, varying water levels, and the training of a reliable expert workforce, we can support the growing Indian economy together with the IWAI."
India's Inland Water Transport (IWT) sector, governed by IWAI, covers 14,500 kilometres of navigable waterways, including 111 national waterways. The sector has seen significant growth, with cargo volumes increasing from 30 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA) in 2014 to 133 MMTPA in 2024.
