Advantages of water transport :
- The cheapest means of transport.
- Suitable for large scale cargo transport.
- Does not cause environmental pollution.
- Most suited for international trade.
- Waterways in India : Inland water transport and marine transport are the two classifications.
Inland water transport : Water bodies like rivers, lakes and canals are used for inland water transport.
- Inland water transport in India is largely concentrated in,
- Ganga-Brahmaputra rivers and their tributaries.
- Godavari-Krishna rivers and their tributaries.
- Buckingham canal of Andhra-Tamil Nadu region.
- Mandovi and Zuvari rivers of Goa.
- Backwaters of Kerala.
National Waterways of India :
- NW 1 : Allahabad to Haldia in river Ganga (1620 km)
- NW 2 : Sadia to Dubri in river Brahmaputra (891 km)
- NW 3 : West Coast Canal in Kerala from Kollam to Kottappuram (205 km)
- NW 4 : Canal from Kakinada to Puducherry linking Godavari-Krishna (1095km)
- NW 5 : Brahmani – Mahanadi delta river system linked to east-coast canal (623 km)
Marine transport : There are about 12 major and 185 minor ports situated in the west and east coasts of India. These ports have great significance in international trade.
