WASHINGTON: Two years after India and Bangladesh agreed on cargo movement through the Bay of Bengal, the first vessel sailed from Krishnapatnam on the Indian east coast to Bangladesh’s busiest port, Chittagong.
This paves the way for enhanced bilateral trade and brings down the cost of transportation of exim cargo and also time taken. Besides improving connectivity, this will also provide competitive freight rates. With this, Krishnapatnam has crossed another milestone since the first ever vessel MV Frauke carried two mobile harbour cranes in April 2008. Frauke was a 160 metre-long ship, which carried cranes having a capacity to lift 100 tonnes.
Over the years, maritime trade has developed significantly. Under a bilateral Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade (PIWTT), inland vessels can be operated on river protocol routes between following seven ports. These are Kolkata, Haldia, Paradip, Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, Krishnapatnam and Chennai on India’s east coast and Chittagong, Mongla, Khulna, Paira, Narayanganj, Pangaon and Ashuganj.
This protocol has also facilitated the movement of EXIM trade as well as cargo bound for the North Eastern states of India. The exporters and importers on both sides have been facing undue increase in the transportation cost as the present connectivity with Bangladesh is through ports of Colombo and Singapore.
Md. Sirajur Rahman, Chief Executive Officer of Neepa Paribahan, the firm plying the first coastal vessel from Krishnapatnam to Chittagong, said, “It would now take just five days for India’s goods to reach Bangladesh. This is without any pilferage and wastage compared to 14 days by road.”
With most of Bangladesh’s ports being riverine, river-sea vessels are used to move cargo because these smaller ships require lesser depth. The quantum of cargo between the two countries makes it unviable for mother vessels to call directly at the ports.
