Tata Steel has successfully completed its first multi-modal shipment of TMT bars from West Bengal to Assam using the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol (IBP) route, marking a significant step towards decarbonizing the steel sector and improving logistics in the North East region.
Tata Steel has reiterated its commitment to sustainable practices by successfully shipping approximately 1,800 tonnes of finished steel products from Haldia Port in West Bengal to Pandu Port in Assam. This groundbreaking shipment utilized the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol (IBP) route via the Brahmaputra River. The company's initiative marks the beginning of multimodal logistics usage, a significant effort to decarbonize the steel sector and the country's logistics.
The shipment of Tata Steel's TMT bars, which arrived at Haldia via rail before being loaded onto river barges, was recently flagged off by Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal. The barge 'Kalpana Chawla' carried the finished goods.
Peeyush Gupta, Vice President of Supply Chain at Tata Steel, stated that the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol route would improve service to the growing North East market. He further added that this route could also explore servicing other locations along the waterway, delivering steel in smaller lots and better condition for customers in the North-East. "The initiative paves the way for seamless and robust integrated logistics solution towards utilising inland waterways for India and Bangladesh," Gupta said.
The IBP route is also expected to help Tata Steel lower its Scope-3 carbon footprint. In July 2021, the company pioneered using electric vehicles to move finished goods in select locations.
The barge operation is managed by Oceanwhale Shipping Services, while cargo handling at the ports is handled by TM International Logistics Ltd, a joint venture between Tata Steel, NYK Japan, and IQ Martrade, Germany. The barge journey covered 1,535 kilometers, utilizing Indo-Bangla Protocol routes No. 1 and 2, entering the Brahmaputra River via Chilmari in Bangladesh, and concluding at Dhubri in Assam.
