Kol port to undertake 4 trial runs for cargo movement using B’desh ports

Initiative to boost business flow on inland waterways

KOLKATA: The first trial movement of Indian transit cargo through Mongla-Tamabil & Mongla-Bibirbazar in Bangladesh will take place from Kolkata on Saturday.

Maersk Line India Pvt Ltd. has partnered with Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, erstwhile Kokata Port Trust, to do two trial runs from Mongla to Tamabil and Mongla to Bibirbazar.

The 13th India-Bangladesh Joint Group of Customs (JSC) meeting was held during March 23-24 this year in Dhaka regarding operationalisation of the ACMP or Agreement on the use of Chattogram and Mongla Ports. It was agreed to undertake four trial runs and Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata (SMP, Kolkata) was entrusted to complete the following four trial runs within six months. The trials will be undertaken on the following routes — Mongla to Tamabil (a hilly area in Bangladesh’s Sylhet), Tamabil to Chittagong, Chittagong to Sheola (a land border) and Mongla to Bibirbazar.

A senior SMP official informed that the vessel, Rishad Rayan, will sail from Kolkata Port after completion of her cargo work, for Mongla Port carrying two Indian transit containers covering two trials at one go. The vessel is likely to reach Mongla on August 5 carrying 16 MT of iron pipes of Electrosteel Castings Ltd. in one container destined for Meghalaya using Tamabil-Dawki border points & 8.5 MT Prefoam of Magpet Polymers Pvt Ltd. in another container destined for Assam using Bibirbazar-Srimantpur border points. The cargo will be cleared by BCM Clearing & Logistics LLP.

“It will open up alternate route through waterways for transportation of coastal containers from Kolkata/Haldia to North-east states along with other EXIM containers going to Bangladesh in same barge/ vessel. The cargo movement from SMP, Kolkata to Northeast states of India through the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol route will not only reduce transit cost and time but also help to develop the economy of that part of India,” a senior SMP Kolkata official said.