Ctg-HK sea route starts
Exporters to be benefitted
Nazimuddin Shyamol | Saturday, 28 May 2022
CHATTOGRAM, May 27: The first ship from Hong Kong reached the Chittagong Port on Thursday, and left the port on Friday. With the berthing and leaving of the ship, named MSC Kymea, a new sea route from the port to China has started.
According to sources, Kymea is a ship of Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), a company of Switzerland. The ship berthed at the Chittagong Port on Thursday evening with 1,200 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of import containers. It left the port with 400 TEUs of export containers on Friday.
MSC started the new sea route from Hong Kong to Chattogram with its own ships. A ship needs 13 days to reach Hong Kong from Chattogram.
Earlier, Pacific International Lines (PIL) first started the sea route from Chattogram to China in 2011. But, plying ships on the route stopped after some days at that time. Now, the sea route with China has started again with the berthing and leaving of MSC Kymea.
The sources further said after resuming the Chattogram-Europe sea route formally after 45 years, the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) is trying to open new maritime routes connecting the port. The CPA is now considering applications of ship owners for launching new routes on a priority basis.
CPA Secretary Md Omar Faruk said, "We are now trying to start new sea routes connecting the Chittagong Port. A ship from Hong Kong - named MSC Kymea - berthed at the port on Thursday, and left on Friday."
Sayed Najrul Islam, First Vice President of BGMEA, said, "Ready-made garment (RMG) items constitute 82 per cent of Bangladesh's total export goods. Of the total RMG shipments, 51 per cent are exported to Europe."
"There is a good prospect for the Chattogram-China sea route. The route will create a new future for the exporters, particularly those of RMG sector. Besides, we need to start more new routes to and from the Chittagong Port in future for higher benefit of our economy."
"If the CPA can operate ships from Chattogram to European ports, the exporters will be more benefitted. The Chattogram-Europe sea route will help the local RMG sector to export goods within a short time," he added.