It is pursuing its mottoes — safety; service; image; transportation in commercially navigable waterways such as Ayeyawady and Chindwin rivers, Delta Region, Kalatan, Laymyo and May Yu rivers in Rakhine State, and Thanlwin, Gyaing and Attayan rivers in Kayin State; spreading its wings for transport facilitation; and transport of goods bound for project sites, those produced by governmental organizations, import and export goods, goods manufactured by State-owned factories, cooperative goods and privateowned goods in accordance with the economic objectives of the State.

To achieve the Ministry’s motto “Improve national economic development through water transport”, the Inland Water Transport yearly transports 24.7 million passengers and 4.3 million tons of goods with the use of 514 vessels in the commercially navigable waterways of 7943 miles in total. In addition, it provides services in the water transport sector to raise the income of the nation.

The IWT has six dockyards: Dalla dockyard, Ahlon dockyard, Sittway dockyard, Yadanabon dockyard (Mandalay), and Chindwin dockyard (under construction). Each dockyard can careen 46 vessels at one time. And the maximum capacity of each dockyard is 1400 tons.

Due to its compliance of the guidance of the Head of State and following strictly the close supervision of the Ministry of Transport, the IWT is making progress.

The IWT implements the functions on the basic of the following policies.

- to utilize at full capacity of and improve the transport forces in building a modern and developed nation with strong economy,

- to contribute effectively towards production in the other economic sectors and social requirements, and to fulfil requirements of the transport sector,

- to help ensure facilitation of inland and overseas transport and to contribute towards projects for development of national races and tourism industry,

- to utilize and protect waterways fully,

- to prevent the air space and waters from being polluted and to meet international provisions on environmental conservation in developing aviation and water transport sectors,

- to develop human resources, and to nurture and produce experts capable of keeping abreast of technological changes,

- to follow laws, acts, bylaws, provisions and procedures enacted by international organizations,

- to be part of the drive for improving inland and overseas transport and aviation and shaping the State’s transport sector into multimodel transport,

- to make preparations for building transport network locally, regionally and globally.

The IWT transports passengers and goods at fair fares. The fare rates are three to five times cheapter than private vessels. The majority of the people rely on the inland water transport up to now. The people can enjoy safety in taking State-owned vehicles due to supervisions at different levels. It gives priority to customer satisfaction. There are broad relations within the Ministry and with other ministries. A vessel can carry more passengers and goods than a motor vehicle or an aeroplane. Automobiles can be transported across the waterways with the use of Z-crafts. The Inland Water Transport is achieving success thanks to its hard work in the interests of the people.