The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has moved a 189.260 metric tonne over-dimensional cargo (ODC) consignment via National Waterway–2 (Brahmaputra), in a significant boost to Assam’s emerging semiconductor ecosystem. The shipment, carrying critical equipment for Tata Semiconductor Assembly and Test Pvt Ltd’s upcoming semiconductor unit, underscores the growing role of inland waterways in handling heavy, specialised cargo for high-value manufacturing projects.
The consignment began its journey from Diamond Harbour in West Bengal and is being ferried by IWAI vessel MV Chitrangada through the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route (IBPR), entering Assam via Dhubri before moving upriver on the Brahmaputra. It has reached Pandu near Guwahati and is scheduled to be unloaded at Silghat, from where it will move by road to the Tata semiconductor facility coming up in Morigaon district with an investment of about ₹27,000 crore.
IWAI said the operation highlights inland waterways as a smooth, cost-effective and green logistics alternative to road and rail for bulky industrial cargo, helping bypass congestion and infrastructure bottlenecks on traditional routes. Officials noted that for semiconductor manufacturing, where equipment is both sensitive and oversized, reliable multimodal logistics is critical to project timelines and cost control.
The successful movement adds to a series of ODC shipments handled on National Waterway–2, reinforcing the Brahmaputra’s role as a key logistics artery for the Northeast. The initiative aligns with the government’s PM Gati Shakti push for multimodal connectivity and is expected to support Assam’s industrial and export ambitions by integrating inland water transport more deeply into semiconductor and other high-value supply chains.
