New Delhi, Dec 13 (IANS) Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday said India’s shipyards are powering Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of making the country a top shipbuilder.

Hooghly Cochin Shipyard Limited (HCSL), the wholly-owned subsidiary of CSL, has signed a contract with Heritage River Journeys Pvt Ltd to build an 80‑passenger luxury river cruise vessel for the Brahmaputra.

Sonowal said in a post on X that, “Unstoppable momentum in Indian Shipbuilding! A significant milestone for ‘Make in India’ as HCSL signs the contract for the 2nd 80-pax luxury river cruise vessel for the Brahmaputra.”

“Our shipyards are powering PM Narendra Modi’s vision of making India a top shipbuilder of the world. By delivering world-class vessels, we are not just boosting inland waterways, but truly designing, building and sailing our own future,” the minister posted.

The government said earlier this week that the total passenger traffic recorded on National Waterways (NWs) in India has registered a close to five-fold jump — from 1.61 crore in 2023-24 to 7.64 crore in 2024-25.

The cargo movement on national waterways nearly doubled in the last five years from 83.6 million tonnes in 20-21 to 145.84 million tonnes in 2024-25.

To promote the inland water transport sector, the Government has launched the Jalvahak scheme with an outlay of Rs 95.42 crore for a period of 3 years from FY 2024-25 to FY 2026-27.

The scheme also provides financial incentives directly to the cargo owners to the extent of 35 per cent of the total actual operating expenditure incurred on waterways journey.

In a fillip to India’s shipbuilding goal, CSL recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with HD Korea Shipbuilding and Offshore Engineering for a long-term strategic collaboration in shipbuilding.

The partnership seeks to combine CSL’s legacy, infrastructure, and domestic expertise with HD Korea’s advanced technology and global experience, marking a significant step in strengthening India’s shipbuilding capabilities.

–IANS

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