UltraTech first to leverage inland waterways with gypsum transport

Mumbai, December 15, 2024: Cement and ready-mix concrete giant UltraTech Cement Limited has transported a large consignment of mineral gypsum via National Waterway 1 (Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly river system) in a pilot project, becoming the first cement company in India to do so at scale.

This pilot movement was flagged off by the Minister of Shipping, Ports, and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal at G.R. Jetty, Kolkata on Saturday. 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 Corporation 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 means significant carbon emissions reduction as well as decongestion of  roads and rail routes. 

Managing Director, UltraTech Cement Limited, K C Jhanwar 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.”