Cargo vessel from Karachi arrives at Chittagong Port, shows first-ever direct maritime link between 2 nations

CHITTAGONG : A cargo vessel from Karachi arrived at Bangladesh’s Chittagong Port on Wednesday. The authorities from both sides called it the first-ever direct maritime link between the two countries.

As Bangladesh cosies up with Pakistan after the fall of ex-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year-long reign, a cargo vessel from Karachi arrived at Bangladesh’s Chittagong Port on Wednesday. The authorities from both sides called it the first-ever direct maritime link between the two countries.

According to data, the vessel was carrying a diverse array of goods with an estimated 2,300 TEUs of capacity. Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh Syed Ahmed Maroof called the direct shipping between the two nations “a major step forward in enhancing bilateral trade and business ties between Pakistan and Bangladesh besides boosting a more integrated trade network across the region.”

He said the initiative will not only accelerate the existing trade flows but also promote new opportunities for businesses on both sides. 

Chattogram Port Authority Secretary Md Omar Faruk told that the Panama-flagged vessel Yuan Xiang Fa Zhan arrived at Chattogram port from Dubai via Karachi on 11 November. The vessel carried 370 TEU containers, which were unloaded. Ot departed Chattogram on 12 November.

According to the Chattogram Port Authority, there is currently no fixed route for direct shipping between Chattogram and Pakistan. The Yuan Xiang Fa Zhan arrived at Chattogram Port through the Dubai-Karachi- Chattogram route.