Assam Methanol Cargo Departs Dibrugarh for Bangladesh via Inland Waterways

A barge carrying 540 metric tonnes of methanol has departed from Bogibeel Terminal in Dibrugarh for Bangladesh, marking the first cargo movement from Upper Assam to a foreign port since Independence.

The cargo movement took place on October 5, 2026, with the vessel DLB Patkai, pushed by tug Kushal Konwar, flagged off by Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma joined the event virtually.

The movement also marks the resumption of commercial river shipping from Dibrugarh nearly seven decades after the town’s river ghat ceased operations.

Methanol cargo to travel via NW-2 and Bangladesh

The methanol was produced by Assam Petro-Chemicals Ltd (APCL) at Namrup and is being transported to Pangaon Port in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

The vessel is expected to cover around 768 km along National Waterway-2 (NW-2), following the Brahmaputra to the Indo-Bangladesh border. From there, the cargo will continue through the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route (IBPR).

According to an earlier post by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), the vessel had transported 27 ISO tanks to Bogibeel for loading.

The movement involves IWAI, APCL, Cochin Bunkers Pvt Ltd and partners in Bangladesh.

Sonowal points to role of inland waterways

Speaking at the flag-off, Sonowal said the movement marked the return of commercial shipping from Dibrugarh after several decades, noting that ships had previously operated regularly from the town.

He said transporting cargo through inland waterways can lower fuel consumption and reduce the number of trucks required for road transportation.

Sonowal also said India is working with Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar to strengthen regional connectivity through waterways.

Previous cargo and passenger movements through Bangladesh

The Dibrugarh-Bangladesh methanol movement follows earlier cross-border river transport operations involving the Northeast.

Tata Steel barges reached Pandu through Bangladesh in February 2022. In 2023, the river cruise vessel MV Ganga Vilas travelled from Varanasi to Dibrugarh through Bangladesh.

The latest movement represents a commercial cargo operation linking Upper Assam with Bangladesh through the inland waterway network and the IBPR.

Why is the Dibrugarh-Bangladesh methanol shipment significant?

The shipment demonstrates the use of National Waterway-2 and the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route for moving commercial cargo from Assam to Bangladesh. It also reconnects Dibrugarh with international river trade after several decades and provides an alternative route for transporting industrial cargo from Upper Assam to regional markets.