Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal will flag off the first international cargo voyage from Dibrugarh on October 5, 2026, at 11:00 AM from Bogibeel Terminal. The ceremony will feature Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma as virtual Chief Guest, along with several Assam state ministers including Transport Minister Charan Boro, Labour Welfare Minister Rameswar Teli, and Industries Minister Bimal Borah as Special Guests.
The maiden voyage carries methanol produced by Assam Petro-Chemicals Limited (APCL) from Bogibeel to Pangaon Port in Dhaka, Bangladesh, utilizing National Waterway-2 (river Brahmaputra) and the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route. This marks the first cargo consignment sailing from Dibrugarh to a foreign port since India's Independence, reviving the historical trade link where Brahmaputra served as Upper Assam's main connection to global markets.
The event signifies the government's push to develop inland waterways as a cheaper, greener, and more efficient transport mode for Northeast India. Additional attendees include Member of Parliament Terash Gowalla, multiple MLAs from Assam constituencies, IWAI Chairman Sushil Kumar Lohani, and APCL Chairman Bikul Ch. Deka. The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and IWAI are organizing the event in collaboration with the Government of Assam and APCL, with live streaming available on IWAI's YouTube channel and official social media platforms.