Overview

Myanmar has an extensive river network that serves as a major resource for the people of Myanmar allowing them access to fresh water and source of irrigation water that sustains rice production across Myanmar. It spans through more than 9000 kilometers and it remains unexploited and under-developed. Distortion of subsidies, non-engineered channels and landing river spots serving as ports, lacking adequate terminal facilities. Despite this, river transport still plays a major role in domestic freight transportation. While river transport carries the potential to hold the competitive advantage in transportation of earth materials in bulk or large quantities, this has not been observed to have happened within the local freight market.  

Navigating these rivers proves to be a difficult task due to shallow depths, limiting loads or deploying smaller capacity boats which leads to higher costs and inefficiencies as well as longer travel time, particularly during the dry season. Discharge volume and intensity resulting in severe suspended sedimentation and flow changes in the river course along the major upstream rivers remain a challenging issue that hampers maximization or utilization of waterway transportation as navigation channels keeps shifting. Accumulation of sands are commonly observed in most rivers in Myanmar. This confines navigation to daytime especially when water level is down during the dry season and channels are shifting. The need to employ experience pilots across different sections of the river becomes crucial in the absence of channel markers and signs.

The main ports of Myanmar can be found in 9 cities: Sittwe, Thandwe, Kyauk Phyu, Pathein, Yangon, and Mawlamyine. (See link: 2.1 Myanmar Port Assessment) All river ports, except Yangon are undeveloped and lack berths, jetties, and significant handling equipment. The Port of Yangon remains the main port in Myanmar that handles most of all importation and exportation activities. As of 2012, permissions on car importations was streamlined resulting in an increase of the number of trucks operated by private transport companies in the country, the volume of cargo being transported through the waterways have been steadily on a decline. ADB data estimated that in 2014, the market share of waterway transportation is only 16% for freight and 1.5% for passenger transportation. Although it takes longer time to transport goods by road, it remains one of the cheapest transport options in country.

The Ayeyarwaddy river is the most important commercial waterway in Myanmar, running through the center of the country. It is about 1,350 miles (2,170 km) long starting in Kachin State and runs through Yangon to the Delta in Ayeyarwaddy Region. In some parts of the delta, the waterways are sometimes the only form of transport available. It is navigable along most of its length in all seasons. However, in the dry season, cargo boats need to reduce their cargo by 50% due to the shallow water depth. on the lower part of the river, from Mandalay to Yangon, this section is accessible for vessels up to 1000 GRT. However, on the upper part, from Bhamaw in Kachin State to Mandalay, this section is only accessible for vessels up to 300 GRT due to draft condition for most of the months, while during the peak of the dry season, only 100 ton ships can navigate the river safely. As a major channel, this river remains in need of dredging and stabilization efforts along the riverbanks. Limited modern navigation aid and lack of basic river port terminal (dock, storage, and handling equipment) have constrained the use of larger vessels to operate in this channel. This problem is exacerbated with land-access issues at these river ports preventing vehicles to reach closer to the offloading/loading area for the manual handling of commodities to take place.

In many upstream rivers, navigation channels remain undeveloped with heavy sedimentation and collapsed riverbanks. These channels are also not defined and adequately marked. Nautical charts are not always available that increase the risk for safe navigations. Boat operators must rely on their experience to navigate these waters.

In Sagain Region, the Chindwin River is navigable up to Khamti and Homalin all year round. Depending on the water depth, draft conditions, and weight of vessel, it is navigable up to the Tanai (Kachin State). The upper part of the river can be very shallow during the dry season.

In Rakhine state, around Sittwe, the rivers to Buthidaung (MayYu River) and Kyauktaw (Kaladan River) are navigable. Several towns in Rakhine can be accessed both by road and river. Due to the river conditions, road transportation seems to be quicker to transport goods for most of the towns, except for Myaebon town, which can only be accessed by water transportation. Most common transport on these waterways is by local wooden hull vessels that can carry up to 100MT cargo capacity. Larger, shallow draft barges or landing vessels can also pass however they are not commonly used in the area.

In Mon state and Tanintharyi Region that is further upstream, water transport is not common. In Mawlamyine (Mon State), the Thanlyin River and Gyaing River are both navigable, but the river is mainly used for passenger transport and some local transport by wooden hull vessels of up to 100MT.

In Tanintharyi at Dawei, the Dawei River is only navigable for a couple more miles north of Dawei. Therefore, in this area, it is mostly used for local passenger transport. In Myeik, the Kyaukphyar River (North) and Tanintharyi River (South-East) are navigable and mainly used for passenger transport and local cargo transport by wooden hull vessels of up to 100MT. The coastal area around Myeik is interlaced with tributaries and for many small coastal towns, coastal transportation is their primary means, and at times, the only connection available to Myeik.

In Kawthaung the Kra Buri bay and river acts as the border between Myanmar and Thailand. Large vessels of up to 2000 GRT around Kawthaung can pass this navigable upstream for about 50km but there are no significant settlements in that direction.

Company Information

Inland Water Transport (IWT), established in 1865, under the Ministry of Transport is a state-owned enterprise responsible for water transport of passengers and cargo. With 11.239 million passengers and 1.375 million tons of cargo transported (April 2015 to March 2016) it is the largest transport company active on the waterways. River transportation is one of the cheapest means of transport in Myanmar.

IWT has six divisions:

• Delta Division,
• Ayeyarwaddy Division,
• Chindwin Division,
• Thanlwin Division,
• Rakhine Division
• Cargo Division.

It has a fleet of 292 vessels: Passenger, cargo vessels, powered barges, and tugs. 30% of their fleet is more than 60 years old, 26% between 40-60 years old, 35% between 20-40 years old, 4% between 10-20 years old and 5% under 10 years old (as of 15 June 2016). Their cargo vessels are leased out to private contractors on an annual basis, while the passenger vessels are still operated by IWT. Since 2014, their fleet size has dropped by 30% and the volume of cargo transported has shrunk by 34% as more and more passengers resort to other types of transportation means that are perceived to be more efficient.

Shwe Pyi Tan Co. Ltd. and Pathein Thu Co. Ltd. are the largest private transportation companies for inland water transport. They are active in Ayeyarwaddy Region. However, most people and businesses in Ayeyarwaddy Region (in the towns of Bogale, Mawkyun, Laputta, Pathein) rely on IWT for transport of passengers and cargo to Yangon Region. There is minimum competition there because IWT has monopolized this sector in Ayeyarwaddy.

Ships are charged a standard fee for passing through the waterway by the Directorate of Water Resources and Improvement of River System (DWRIRS), under the Ministry of Transport & Communications. DWRIRS charges 0.20 Kyat/MT capacity/mile, per trip (rate as of Jun 2016). This is charged at the river stations Twantay, Nyaungdong, Pyay, Magway, Mandalay and Kathar and for the Chindwin River at Monywa and Kalewa.

Inland Water Transport (IWT) Fleet Composition (15/June/2016)

IWT Services Routes in Myanmar, countrywide.

Suspended: Lines stopped since 2014 that were uneconomical.

For information about IWT and government contacts see link: 4.1 Myanmar Government Contact List.

For information about port and waterways companies contacts see link:  4.4 Myanmar Port and Waterways Company Contact List.

Ayeyarwaddy River

IWT still operates 14 passenger ships along the Ayeryawaddy River, while 10 of their cargo vessels and 30 passenger/cargo vessels have been privatized since 2013.  There are private passenger vessel companies that operate for tourism from Yangon to Pyay (Prome), Nyaung-U (Bagan), Mandalay and Kathar along Ayeyarwady River. There are individually owned vessels, barges and small ferries run along Chindwin River between Pakokku, Monywa, Kalewa, Homlin and Khanti.

World Bank started in 2016 a dredging project that will run until 2021 to increase the depth of the Ayeyarwaddy River from Nyaung-U to Mandalay (191 km) to at least 2 meters. In dry season (Nov-April), the minimum depth currently ranges from 1-1.5m (5-7 ft).

Travel Time Matrix

Average speed on the Ayeyarwady River for regular 20-60 MT cargo boats is 16 km/hour following the current (downstream), 9.6 km/hour against the current (upstream).

Security: Some robbery incidences have occurred with cargo shipments between Pakokku and Mandalay along the Ayeyarwaddy River.  Passenger and tourist vessels however were not targeted.

Corridor: Ayeyarwaddy River (from Yangon to Mandalay)

Corridor: Ayeyarwaddy river (from Mandalay to Banmaw)

Key routes

 Water transportation from Yangon to Pyay involves two options.

• Option 1 is via Twantay canal (124 km length) at Twantay city. Twantay canal is preferred by Inland Water Transport.
• Option 2 via the Hlaing River (98km length) at Nyaungdon city is 26km (1.5 - 3 hours) shorter. The Hlaing River is preferred by the private sector but is more difficult to navigate due to narrow sections with many channel turns.

Corridor: Chindwin River (from Pakokku to Kalewa)

Port Information

Rakhine State 

In Rakhine state, particularly around Sittwe, the rivers to Buthidaung (MayYu River) and Kyauktaw (Kaladan River) are navigable. Several towns in Rakhine can be accessed by both road and river. However, for most towns, road transportation remains the fastest means. Most common transport on these waterways is by local wooden hull vessels of up to 100MT cargo capacity. Larger, shallow draft barges or landing vessels can be used, but are not common in the area.

There are two existing IWT transportation route in Rakhine State. The first route is Sittwe - Rathedaung - Buthidaung and running mile are 40 miles for Rathedaung and 80 for Buthidaung. The second route is Sittwe to Myae Bon and Kyauk Phyu. The running mile are 64 miles to Myae Bon and 128 miles to Kyauk Phyu.

Corridor: May Ru river (from Sittwe to Buthidaung)

Corridor: Kaladan river (from Sittwe to Kyauk Taw)

Corridor: from Sittwe to Pauk Taw, Mrauk Oo, Myinn Byar, Myae Bon, Kyauk Phyu & Toungup

Port Information

Source: http://www.iwt.gov.mm/en/rakhine_division