India eyes 6–12% cargo share for coastal shipping

As it looks to move more cargo off roads and railways, the Centre plans to double the share of coastal shipping and inland waterways in India’s cargo movement from 6 to 12 per cent by 2047, said Sarbananda Sonowal, Minister for Shipping, GoI. He outlined this target at a meeting held in Puri, Odisha. The proposed Coastal Cargo Promotion Scheme, announced in the Union Budget 2026–27, is expected to offer incentives to cargo owners, coastal vessel operators, and multimodal transport providers. The push comes as coastal cargo handled at Indian ports has risen from 74–177 million tonnes over the past 12 years. The challenge will be making water-based freight commercially viable through better connectivity and supporting infrastructure.

Pallak Kashyap is a reporter at CargoTalk, specialising in aviation and logistics. He covers the air cargo sector through news stories, interviews and on-ground reporting, with a clear focus on supply chains, operational trends and industry developments. His work aims to break down complex logistics narratives into practical, easy-to-understand insights for the trade. Beyond reporting, he closely follows evolving business trends and the forces shaping the future of global logistics.

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