The signing of two key Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) at the India Maritime Week, one with the Assam Petro-Chemicals Ltd. (APL) and another with the Government of Assam to promote movement of cargo and passengers through waterways in the state, is a trailblazing initiative. The maintenance of required depth in the river network in the state for smooth plying of vessels will be a prerequisite for the two MoUs to bring transformative changes. The MoU between IWAI and APL is a strategic step in using waterways for strengthening industrial logistics in the state. The MoU will facilitate exports from IWAI jetties at Bogibeel, Pandu, and Jogighopa to destinations in Bangladesh and Southeast Asian destinations. The use of waterways proves economically beneficial, as it is the cheapest mode of transportation compared to road, railway and airways, and is the preferred mode for bulk cargo. Official data shows that APL currently produces 1.98 lakh metric tonnes of methanol and 1.15 lakh metric tonnes of formalin annually, which makes the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways hopeful that the new arrangement will enable bulk, cost-effective, and eco-friendly transportation of these products to destinations in the global markets. The total investment for the initiative, including the procurement of tanker vessels and related infrastructure, is estimated at Rs 400 crore, but timely execution of the project is crucial to prevent cost and time escalation. An official release states that the IWAI will provide comprehensive operational and technical support, including facilities at its Bogibeel, Pandu, and Jogighopa terminals, navigation assistance, bunkering facilities, and firefighting systems. It will also help APL develop 10 flat-bottom tanker barges with capacities between 500 and 1,000 metric tonnes, while APL will coordinate logistics, vessel operations, and statutory clearances to ensure seamless cargo movement. The MoU details present a major transformative development in the state's inland waterways sector, and IWAI pulling out all stops for timely execution will build confidence among investors and transporters about using the waterways, which brings the double benefit of reducing vehicular pollution along the highways. Escalation in cost and prolonged delay in project execution is a persistent problem in respect of mega projects in the northeast region, and learning the lessons from such undue delay in past projects will be essential to prevent recurrence. The cargo movement via the Brahmaputra and Indo-Bangladesh Protocol route to Bangladesh will also unlock opportunities for regular cargo transportation through the National Waterways 1 (Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly) and 2 (Brahmaputra from Sadiya to Dhubri). Regular plying of the vessels is critical to waterways being navigable, but heavy siltation in the Brahmaputra makes it imperative to ensure regular dredging operations, particularly during the lean season, to ensure unobstructed cargo movement. For transporters, poor navigability adds to transportation cost and renders use of waterways lacking adequate depth of water uneconomical. A successful trial run of cargo vehicles connecting NW1 and NW2 via the IBP route triggered enthusiasm in the transportation sector, but due to a lack of continuous and large-scale industrial cargo operations, the enthusiasm gradually faded. Successful operationalisation of the MoU between IWAI and APL will be crucial to restore the enthusiasm and hope. The MoU, signed between IWAI and the state government, aims to develop and promote an Urban Water Transport (UWT) System, or Water Metro, in Tezpur, Guwahati, and Dibrugarh for a seamless and sustainable water-based mobility network along the River Brahmaputra, integrated with existing transport modes such as roads, railways, and bus systems. The MoU follows the (IWAI) Board commissioning of a feasibility study on the UWT system in 17 cities, including Guwahati and Dhubri, earlier in February. Availability of the findings of the feasibility study in the public domain is vital for stakeholders to examine commercial viability. The complexity of the Brahmaputra river system adds to the unpredictability of its course, presents a huge techno-economic challenge, and how the IWAI proposes to address it will be the key determinant in taking forward the MoU for the full-scale commercial operationalisation. Nevertheless, development of UWT has the potential to boost river tourism in the state, which remains underutilised. Overhauling the passenger ferries and introducing tourist- and passenger-friendly vessels is pivotal to the tourism industry evincing interest in using the waterways. The current utilisation of river tourism along the Brahmaputra remains limited to high-end luxurious river cruises, but the potential to broaden the market by introducing modern ferries with tourist- and passenger-friendly amenities like comfortable seating, hygienic facilities, and onboard refreshments, not just in specialised tourist-only ferries but also in ferries plying regularly, is yet to be tapped. The potential of waterways in Assam for strengthening the state economy and boosting cargo and passenger movement along the Brahmaputra and its tributaries, drawing increasing public and policy attention, is an encouraging development. The challenge, however, lies in translating the intent into transformative changes through sustained industrial participation.