Waterways are also an important means of transportation. Centuries ago our ships have been sailing to the Eastern and Western countries for trade. India has a long coastline of about 5700 kilometers. It is the second largest shipping country of the world. It has a large shipping fleet. The ships sail from India to other countries in the world. The ships sail from the places along the coast called seaports. India has about 10 major seaports and about 160 small seaports along its coastline. Mumbai is the largest seaport in India.
Ships carry large quantities of cotton, cement, iron-ore, jute, manganese and other forms of produce to other countries of the world. They transport fertilizers, petroleum, machinery and some other goods from other countries to India. The articles we send to other countries in the world is known as export and the articles we bring from other countries to our country is called import.
In certain parts of India, boats carry people and goods from one place to another. Some boats are fitted with motors. These are called motor-boats. They sail on big rivers and canals. Ships and large boats can sail on the Ganga and the Brahmaputra. Ferry service is provided In the plains across the rivers Ganga, Yamuna, Sutlej, Beas, Ravi, Krishna and Cauvery. The state of Kerala has many waterways in the lagoons, where people said and carry goods in boats. Big ships are made and repaired at the ship-building yards of Mumbai, Cochin, Vishakhapatnam & Kolkata.