UltraTech Cement Ltd is leveraging inland waterways to transport a large consignment of mineral gypsum via National Waterway 1 (Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly river system) in a pilot project.
This pilot movement was flagged off by the Honourable Minister of Shipping, Ports, and Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal at GR Jetty, in Kolkata. UltraTech’s participation in the pilot was supported by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) and Inland & Coastal Shipping Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Shipping Corp of India (SCI). The consignment is being shipped from Haldia port in West Bengal to Gaighat terminal in Patna, Bihar and is being transported to Pataliputra Cement works, UltraTech’s cement grinding unit located in Patna district, Bihar.
Use of inland waterways over roadways and railways will result in significant carbon emissions reduction. It will also help decongest roads and rail routes. UltraTech’s participation in the pilot provides a boost to the Government of India’s (GoI) efforts to promote use of inland waterways in the country. The project has been enabled by the GoI’s revised Cargo Movement policy, in line with Maritime India Vision 2030 and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047.
Mr K C Jhanwar, managing director, UltraTech Cement Ltd, said, “Emerging and innovative transport solutions are a key lever in UltraTech’s shift towards sustainable logistics practices. Through this pilot, we are proud to partner the Government of India in promoting use of inland waterways in line with Maritime India Vision 2030 and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047. The pilot movement over National Waterway 1 underscores UltraTech’s commitment to green logistics as an enabler to realise its Net Zero goal by 2050.”
