India Charts a Greener Path for Coal Logistics with Rail-Sea-Rail Plan

“RSR is not just a transport solution—it is an opportunity to rethink how we deliver energy responsibly,” Shri Dutt remarked.

In a landmark step toward overhauling India’s coal transportation framework, the Ministry of Coal organized a comprehensive stakeholder consultation on “Exploring the Opportunities for Sustainable Coal Transportation through the Rail-Sea-Rail (RSR) Mode” in New Delhi today. This consultative session marked a strategic push to enhance the efficiency, sustainability, and resilience of coal logistics by integrating railways and coastal shipping — a move aligned with India’s environmental goals and rising energy demands.

Vision for the Future: Greener and More Efficient Coal Transport

Delivering the keynote address, Shri Vikram Dev Dutt, Secretary of the Ministry of Coal, lauded the RSR model as a transformational solution that complements India’s broader ambition of sustainable economic development. He emphasized that the RSR framework leverages the synergy between railway and maritime transportation to offer a low-emission, cost-effective alternative to conventional land-based logistics. According to Shri Dutt, such innovation is vital to meet coal demands in energy-intensive regions like Southern and Western India, which are geographically distant from key coal-producing belts.

“RSR is not just a transport solution—it is an opportunity to rethink how we deliver energy responsibly,” Shri Dutt remarked. He further highlighted that the integration of coastal shipping into coal logistics would significantly reduce the sector's carbon footprint while ensuring timely and cost-efficient deliveries.

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Multi-Ministerial and Multi-Sectoral Collaboration

The event brought together a wide array of stakeholders, including top officials from the Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), Ministry of Power, State Governments, and major coal sector players such as Coal India Limited (CIL), private miners, Gencos, and port authorities. This diverse participation underscored the shared commitment to shaping a robust multimodal logistics ecosystem.

Stakeholders actively engaged in discussions about practical strategies to streamline coal movement. Key suggestions included:

• Enhancing intermodal connectivity between mines, ports, and power plants

• Modernizing and mechanizing coal handling systems at ports

• Ensuring sufficient rake availability for uninterrupted supply chains

• Rationalizing port tariffs and levies to make RSR a cost-competitive mode

Bold Targets and Strategic Enablers

The Ministry of Coal has set an ambitious target to transport 120 million tonnes (MT) of coal via the RSR route by fiscal year 2030. As an interim milestone, 65 MT of coal is slated to be moved through this route by FY 2026. These objectives are underpinned by critical policy and infrastructure initiatives:

• Telescopic Freight Circular: Issued by the Ministry of Railways, this circular offers significant freight rate reductions, thereby incentivizing long-distance multimodal coal movement.

• Rail Sagar Corridor: A major infrastructure development project designed to improve rail-port connectivity, ensuring faster and smoother transportation from mines to maritime gateways.

• Dedicated Coal Berths: Under the MoPSW’s guidance, ports are being equipped with specialized coal handling facilities, which will significantly cut down handling time and associated costs.

Inter-Ministerial Roles and Responsibilities

Each ministry has been assigned pivotal roles in facilitating the RSR rollout:

• Ministry of Railways: Ensuring adequate availability of rakes, constructing last-mile connectivity to ports, and maintaining rail infrastructure.

• MoPSW: Overseeing the optimization of shipping routes, managing port tariffs, and developing infrastructure such as coal-specific berths and mechanized handling systems.

• Ministry of Power: Aligning energy demand projections with coal logistics strategies to ensure energy security.

This collaborative approach is intended to eliminate procedural hurdles, reduce dependency on road transport, and enhance long-haul logistics capabilities.

Toward a Sustainable Energy Future

Reaffirming its commitment, the Ministry of Coal reiterated that the success of the RSR model depends not only on physical infrastructure but also on seamless policy coordination and stakeholder alignment. The shift toward multimodal transportation is a strategic imperative as India seeks to meet its climate commitments while powering its growing economy.

By adopting innovative models like RSR, India aims to create a coal supply chain that is not only robust and responsive but also environmentally and economically sustainable. The Ministry pledged continued efforts to attract investment, foster technological upgrades, and provide policy support to make RSR a cornerstone of India's coal logistics strategy.

The stakeholder consultation concluded with a shared understanding that coordinated, timely, and bold action is key to unlocking the full potential of the RSR model — ushering in a new era of energy logistics that is both green and growth-oriented.