AIWCL and Bharat A to Z establish Assam Shipyard joint venture

Assam Inland Waterways Company Ltd (AIWCL) and Bharat A to Z Pvt Ltd signed a shareholder agreement on October 6, 2026 to establish Assam Shipyard Pvt Ltd (ASPL), a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) that will develop an integrated shipyard and container shipping line in Assam.

Project details

The project will be located at Dharapur, Guwahati, along National Waterway-2 on the Brahmaputra, supporting cargo movement and maritime logistics in the region.

AIWCL has provided 10.33 acres of land for the project on a 60-plus-30-year lease. The integrated development represents a proposed investment of Rs 475 crore, with the Assam Cabinet having approved customised incentives under the state’s Industrial and Investment Policy.

The facility is expected to generate around 900 direct jobs, in addition to indirect employment across the Northeast’s trade and logistics ecosystem.

Shipyard and container shipping operations

ASPL will develop a greenfield shipyard capable of constructing shallow-draft vessels of up to 5,000 DWT. The project includes plans to manufacture 40 hybrid inland container vessels.

Alongside shipbuilding, the SPV will operate a commercial liner container service on the waterway, linking vessel construction capacity with deployment for cargo operations.

Supporting Assam’s inland waterway network

A significant share of vessels operating on Assam’s waterways are currently built in West Bengal or southern India, increasing transportation and capital costs for regional operators. Bharat A to Z said the proposed shipyard will localise vessel production and help reduce these costs.

The facility is planned specifically for shallow-draft vessels and will incorporate green fuels and pollution-control systems. The project is also expected to support the Act East policy and strengthen connectivity through the India-Bangladesh Protocol Route.

In addition to container vessels, the local shipbuilding facility is expected to cater to demand for ferries, cargo barges and rescue boats across the region.

The agreement was signed a day after the first international cargo voyage from Dibrugarh to Bangladesh since Independence. The voyage carried methanol produced in Assam through the Brahmaputra and the India-Bangladesh Protocol Route, highlighting the growing role of inland waterways in connecting the Northeast with regional and international markets.