Amphibian Dredger Tender: IWAI Buys Eight Machines for National Waterway 1 (Rs 81 Cr)

The Inland Waterways Authority of India is buying eight amphibian dredgers for ₹81 crore, roughly ₹10 crore a machine, and the amphibian dredger tender closes at 3:00 PM on 9 November 2026.

An equipment purchase, not a works contract

This notice is procurement of 8 numbers of amphibian dredger by the Inland Waterways Authority of India under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, reference IWAI/WB/NW-1/14/19/2014-Part1. The portal records the category as works with a delivery period of 455 days, and the authority is based at Noida.

An amphibian dredger is a machine that can float on its own pontoons and also walk itself onto a bank on spuds and legs, which is what you need on a river that changes depth through the year. On National Waterway 1, the Ganga route, the shallow reaches and the bank-side channels are exactly where a conventional cutter suction dredger cannot reach.

What the buyer is asking for

The estimate is ₹81,00,00,000 with an EMD of ₹1,62,00,000 at 2 per cent and no exemption allowed. The tender fee is ₹5,900. The notice has been live since 12 August 2026 and bids open at 11:00 AM on 10 November 2026.

The 455 day period is a manufacturing and delivery schedule rather than a construction one, so bidders here are dredger builders and their Indian partners rather than civil contractors. Firms following waterway work can also look at the Paradip maintenance dredging contract and the common user facilities at the Kolkata NS Docks.

What it means for the hire market

Eight state-owned dredgers entering service on one waterway changes who rents what. Contractors doing jetty, ghat and terminal work along the Ganga will have a public option for shallow dredging, which usually pulls private hire rates down on small jobs and pushes private owners towards the specialised work instead.

The flip side is more riverside construction becoming feasible once channels are maintained. That tends to lift demand for land plant at the terminals, excavators and cranes on the bank, wheel loaders moving dredged material, and compactors on the approach roads. Owners working the Varanasi, Patna, Sahibganj and Haldia stretch should watch where the eight machines get stationed.

Key facts

How to apply

1. Open the official portal: Central Public Procurement Portal.
2. Search by tender ID 2026_IWAI_921872_1 (reference no. IWAI/WB/NW-1/14/19/2014-Part1) under Inland Waterways Authority of India.
3. Register on the portal and keep a valid Class III digital signature certificate ready.
4. Download the technical specification for the dredgers, check the delivery schedule and testing requirements, then confirm the ₹1,62,00,000 EMD and the ₹5,900 fee.
5. Submit your bid online before 9 November 2026, 3:00 PM.

Machines for this kind of work: Ports and Dredging: machines, models and comparisons

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FAQ

Tender details are summarised for convenience and may change. Always verify the latest dates, terms and documents on the official tendering portal before bidding. DesiMachines is not responsible for changes made by the issuing authority.