Contract for Haldia inland waterway terminal awarded, jetty to be operational soon

Union Minister for Ports, Shipping & Waterways, and Ayush, Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday announced that the contract for Haldia inland waterway terminal has been approved, and the jetty will soon be operational. This will provide an alternative route for easy and cost-effective movement of cargo between the foreign countries and other states of India

New Delhi: Union Minister for Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday announced that the contract for Haldia inland waterway terminal has been approved, and the jetty will soon be operational for sending Exim and inland cargo to Pandu terminal in Guwahati connecting the northeast with Kolkata via National waterway 2.

This will provide an alternative chicken neck route for easy and cost-effective movement of cargo between the foreign countries and other states of India including the northeast part, he added.

The Minister interacted with various stakeholders of the port and shipping industry of Kolkata and Haldia port including Major oil PSUs, steel companies like Tata Steel and SAIL, terminal operators, shipping lines, barge operators, custom clearing agents, and land users of Syama prasad Mookerjee Port participated in the meeting.

The minister invited all of them to be a partner in this unique opportunity of using sea and river route combination (NW1 and NW2) via Kolkata port.

Sonowal also informed that the depth assurance contracts have been awarded to maintain NW1 and 2, and the barge operators shall soon start using these waterways.

To give easy and soft funds for barges, the Minister also said that there is a plan to provide a guarantee to banks so that this sector can take off.

The stakeholders assured that they will come forward to utilize this opportunity to make this mission a success. More than 40 key players participated in the stakeholders' conference.