DHAKA: The debut of much-talked-about Indo-Bangladesh coastal shipping service is facing delays as New Delhi is yet to approve the final standard operating procedure (SOP), officials said.
Bangladesh sent the final version of the SOP, a crucial prerequisite for starting voyage of vessels, for Indian approval two months back. A reminder was also forwarded some weeks back. But Dhaka is yet to receive any response, they added.
“Almost all the points of the SOP were agreed upon during our last meeting in Dhaka with Indian shipping officials. Thereafter, we sent the final version to Delhi for approval. Two months have passed by since then, but we are yet to get any response,” director-general of the Department of Shipping (DoS) M Zakiur Rahman Bhuiyan told the FE.
Bangladesh and India signed a coastal shipping deal during the Dhaka visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi last June. The deal is meant for reducing transportation cost of goods to and from India by two-thirds as vessels will move along bilateral coasts.
“All the formalities from Bangladesh side are complete. We are ready to start the service provided the SOP with Indian approval is available,” said Mr Bhuiyan.
He expressed the hope that SOP with Indian consent would be available at a bilateral joint technical committee meeting expected to be held next month in Dhaka.
Asked about the number of vessels ready for the voyage, he said two world-class vessels, built for inland shipping, will also be plying in coastal shipping service. Some two to three more vessels will join the fleet by December.
Mr Bhuiyan said an informal trial run of coastal shipping service, from private sector, was already held several months back. The MV Rodela, a private-sector vessel, since then, has been carrying goods from India through bilateral coastal route.
He said presently maximum goods of Indo-Bangladesh trade are being transported through land ports. Steps have to be taken to divert those to river route since the service will be cheaper than carrying goods by road.
Officials said presently vessels plying to and from Bangladesh and India pass through ports of Singapore or Sri Lanka. The vessels will be plying through bilateral coasts, cutting voyage time by three-fourths, after a formal launch of the service.
Shipping activity at Port Qasim on February 11
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