A
shipping line on Chattogram-China maritime route has launched operation with
anchorage of a Chinese goods carrying vessel at Chittagong port on Monday
(September 16).
First
ship on this route MV Kota Angun, carrying 552 containers from Port of
Ningbo-Zhushan of China, anchored at Chattogram Port jetty -13 in the Monday
morning, Chattogram Port Authority Assistant Terminal Manager (Control) Rajib
Chowdhury confirmed.
A
consortium of ships owned by multiple organizations has joined in this service
named China-Chittagong Express (CCE), Rajib said.
MV
Kota Angoon sailed from the Port of Ningbo-Zhushan, one of the world's busiest
seaports of China, on September 7 and reached Chattogram in nine days via
Shanghai and Shekou.
Previously
a goods carrying mother vessel used to take 20 to 25 days time to reach
Chattogram Port from China as those vessels were travelling through Singapore,
Malaysia or Colombo.
Syed
Mohammad Arif, President of Shipping Agent Association said, the new route
would help improve our trade with China.
Bangladesh
imports machineries and raw materials for garment manufacturing and export
sector from China while Bangladesh’s export basket include jute yarn, hide and processed
hair, he said.
A
lot of goods are imported from China to Bangladesh. So operating a direct ship
on the China-Chattogram route may be quite potential, he observed.