CHATTOGRAM, Aug 02: Switzerland-based Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), the world's largest ship company, has launched a direct shipping service between Chittagong sea port and China Port.
One ship of the company named 'MSC Jinna' berthed at NCT-2 jetty of Chittagong port with 1,481 TUES of import containers at 11am on Thursday. The ship is scheduled to leave the port at 7:30 am on today (Saturday) with 1,116 TUES single export containers.
First Vice-president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) Syed Nazrul Islam said, "Main and one of the export products of the country is readymade garments (RMG). A maximum of the raw materials of the RMG industry are imported from China. Imported goods from China come to Bangladesh through transhipment ports of other countries. Sometimes it takes time. Besides, it takes time to make garments and send those back to Europe and America due to delay in arrival of raw materials in Bangladesh. Therefore, regular direct shipping with China will benefit other importers including the RMG sector."
President of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) Omar Hajjaz said, "Most of the imported goods that come to our country come from China. So if the direct shipping with China increases, our exporters and importers will benefit more as direct shipping can bring goods at less time and cost."
Secretary of Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) Omar Faruk said, "Direct shipping has already started at Chittagong port along with many ports in Europe. Since then many shipping companies are trying to launch ships directly with Chittagong port. The CPA has always been providing all-out cooperation for the direct launch of ships."
It may be mentioned that Chittagong sea port handled more than 92 per cent of export and import cargoes of Bangladesh. Now containers are first sent to ports in Singapore, Sri Lanka or Malaysia to bring in imported goods.
From there, the containers come to Chittagong port loading in feeder vessels. Taking the container from the ship to the transhipment port and then taking it to the feeder ship and bringing it to the Chittagong port takes time and costs more.
However, direct shipping will reduce both time and cost. And if the cost of transportation of goods is reduced, the price of goods will also go down at the consumer level, the trade body leaders opined.
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