Assam achieved a historic milestone as the first international shipment via waterways was flagged off from the Bogibeel Inland Waterways Terminal in Dibrugarh. According to reports from The Indian Awaaz, a barge carrying 540 tonnes of methanol produced by Assam Petro-Chemicals Limited (APL) left for Dhaka, Bangladesh, marking the first cargo export from upper Assam to a foreign port since India's independence in 1947. The vessel, DLB Patkai, was pushed by the tug Kushal Konwar from Bogibeel, with Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal flagging off the shipment. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma joined the ceremony virtually, adding to the historic significance of the occasion.
The maiden cargo voyage will travel through National Waterway-2 along the Brahmaputra and the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route. As reported by The Indian Awaaz, the vessel will travel approximately 768 kilometres down National Waterway-2 on the Brahmaputra River in India to the Indo-Bangladesh border, then continue along the IBPR. The total distance covered will be 1,300 kms from Bogibeel, Dibrugarh to Narayanganj, Dhaka. The methanol is bound for Pangaon Port in Dhaka, with the launch marking a significant step in leveraging inland waterways as a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable transport mode. The voyage is being observed as a test of whether the Brahmaputra can serve as a commercially viable freight corridor linking the Northeast to overseas markets.
The cargo movement marks a significant development in Assam's international trade connectivity, with the Brahmaputra once again emerging as a potential gateway for exports from the Northeast to international markets. According to The Indian Awaaz, the development became possible after customs and immigration complexes were set up at Bogibeel and Dhubri recently. Union Minister Sonowal described the occasion as a transformational moment, noting that the revival of river-based international trade would unlock new economic opportunities, strengthen regional connectivity and reduce logistics costs for industries across Assam. He emphasized that inland waterways can significantly reduce logistics costs compared to road transportation, creating opportunities for farmers, MSMEs and industries. The Bogibeel passenger and cargo terminal, whose foundation stone was laid in July 2023, opened in February 2024, while the 'Jalvahak' cargo incentive program launched in December 2024.
The event comes nearly eight decades after the town's river ghat closed on October 15, 1956, as tea shipments shifted to rail. As reported by The Indian Awaaz, Sonowal said the occasion was historic as for eight decades, the whistle at Dibrugarh Ghat fell silent and ships stopped coming. He noted that Dibrugarh was once among the busiest river ports in eastern India, with government steamers reaching the town from Calcutta by 1856 and daily steamers sailing up the Brahmaputra by 1913. The 1947 partition and a 1950 earthquake disturbed the riverbed, forcing regular bookings to stop in 1954. Sonowal added that the development of National Waterway-2 opened new possibilities for trade and commerce, particularly for Assam and other northeastern states. Activity on the route has grown since then, with Tata Steel barges reaching Pandu through Bangladesh in February 2022 and the river cruise ship MV Ganga Vilas sailing from Varanasi to Dibrugarh through Bangladesh in 2023.
The improved waterway connectivity is expected to benefit sectors such as fertilisers, oil, refineries and petrochemicals, while also strengthening trade links with Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Myanmar. According to The Indian Awaaz, industry experts believe the new trade route could substantially lower freight expenses for manufacturers in the Northeast, while reducing dependence on road transportation and easing pressure on existing logistics networks. The corridor is expected to provide exporters and industrial units in Assam with direct access to Bangladesh markets, enhancing cross-border trade and improving supply chain efficiency for sectors such as petrochemicals, tea, agriculture and manufacturing. The launch represents an important step towards positioning the Brahmaputra as a major trade corridor connecting Assam and the wider Northeast with regional and international markets. The voyage involved the Inland Waterways Authority of India, Assam Petro-Chemicals, Cochin Bunkers Pvt. Ltd. and partners in Bangladesh.
