The Centre plans to significantly expand the role of coastal shipping and inland waterways in India’s freight transportation, targeting a doubling of their combined share from the current 6 per cent to 12 per cent by 2047, said Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal.
Announcing the roadmap at a consultative committee meeting in Puri on Tuesday, Sonowal said the proposed Coastal Cargo Promotion Scheme and Cruise Bharat Mission would be central to transforming India’s maritime transportation and tourism sectors.
“The two initiatives are expected to generate more than 5.6 lakh employment opportunities and help reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 16 million tonnes. The government plans to develop the country as a major cruise tourism destination with a target of attracting one million sea cruise passengers annually by 2029,” he said.
Sonowal announced that the Paradip Port Authority (PPA), in partnership with the state government, would develop an international cruise terminal at Puri with an estimated investment of ₹1,500 crore. The proposed project is expected to strengthen Odisha’s maritime tourism infrastructure and open up opportunities to attract international cruise operators and tourists to the state’s coastline.
The announcement comes as the Centre seeks to leverage India’s extensive coastline and navigable waterways to shift a larger share of freight movement from road and rail to more energy-efficient maritime transportation.
“India’s maritime sector has undergone massive transformations in the last 12 years,” he said, highlighting the expansion of port infrastructure, growth in coastal cargo movement and efforts to develop cruise tourism and inland waterway connectivity.
According to the minister, India’s coastal cargo handling has increased from 74 million tonnes to 177 million tonnes over the past 12 years, registering growth of around 140 per cent. With more than 11,000 km (6,800 miles) of coastline, the country has considerable potential to transport bulk commodities over long distances through coastal shipping, reducing logistics costs, congestion on roads and railways and the carbon footprint of freight transportation.
“Our coastline and our rivers are being turned into engines of growth. The Coastal Cargo Promotion Scheme, announced in the 2026-27 budget, will offer incentives to cargo owners, coastal vessel operators and multimodal transport operators, who move cargo by more than one means of transport, such as ship, rail and road,” Sonowal said.
The proposed incentives are aimed at making coastal transportation commercially more attractive and encouraging industries to shift suitable cargo from conventional land-based logistics to maritime routes. A higher share of coastal freight movement is also expected to improve the competitiveness of Indian manufacturing by lowering transportation costs, the minister said.
Cruise tourism is another major component of the government’s maritime development strategy. India recorded 4,62,661 ocean cruise passengers and 212 vessel calls during 2025-26, reflecting a 5.5-fold increase in passenger traffic and an over two-fold rise in vessel calls compared with 2013-14. The Cruise Bharat Mission, launched in September 2024, aims to increase annual sea cruise passenger traffic to one million and generate four lakh employment opportunities by March 2029.
Apart from ocean cruises, Sonowal said, the government is also expanding river cruise tourism through the country’s national waterways. Twenty river cruise circuits across 16 national waterways are currently operational, while another 51 circuits have been identified for phased development. As many as 143 river cruise terminals and landing points have already become operational, he said.
“The development of National Waterway No. 5 is another important component of the Centre’s maritime connectivity plans involving Odisha. Estimated to cost more than ₹13,000 crore, the project will connect the state’s major industrial and mineral-producing centres, including Talcher and Kalinganagar, with ports along the eastern coast,” he added.
Sonowal chaired the consultative committee meeting on strengthening coastal and cruise shipping. Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shantanu Thakur and eight members of Parliament participated in the deliberations.
The participating MPs appreciated the government’s efforts to strengthen the maritime sector and offered suggestions on developing maritime infrastructure in different parts of the country.
