Inland Water Transport Department is planning to replace old passenger and freight ships with new and modernized passenger and freight ships.

The Inland Water Transport, organized with six regional sub-departments, run cargo ships as well as passengers and other freight ships including ferry ways.

The vessels currently in use are passenger-cum-cargo vessels and most of them are old-aged, according to an official from the department.

The department is planning to replace the almost derelict vessels with new passenger and freight ships to be used for the long term. At present, the department has opted to run safer passenger ships in areas where people mostly relied on water transport for travel.

The department owns six shipyards to repair and build new vessels. They are in operation; repairing and building private owned vessels with fixed prices.

The department provided two used vessels and one new vessel from Japan with the help of Japanese government to be used in the southern part of Rakhine State.