Maersk has successfully completed the first India-Bangladesh cross-border logistics of containerised cargo using the inland waterways of the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route for Coca-Cola Bangladesh Beverages.
By transporting 50 TEU from Kolkata in India to a river port near Dhaka in Bangladesh on a barge on the National Waterways 1 on the India side, the company said it has created a new opportunity for customers to use the faster, more reliable inland waterways solution that connects the two countries.
“The Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route has created great trade opportunities for the two countries over the last decades. By advancing into containerised transport on this route, we are expanding the opportunities for importers and exporters from the two countries with a faster, more reliable and safer option for their cargo,” commented Vikash Agarwal, Managing Director, Maersk South Asia.
The cargo movement on inland waterways or rivers is much more reliable, especially in monsoons, when the turbulent weather can cause delays while transporting goods over the ocean.
The Governments of both countries have encouraged trade on the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route for a long time and recently strengthened the customs processes further to enhance the ease of doing business.
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The solution to move cargo across the Indo-Bangladesh border has a saving of over 60 per cent in terms of transit time, added Angshuman Mustafi, Head of Maersk Bangladesh.
“In addition to the faster mode of transport, we are able to give end-to-end visibility to our customers through Daily Status Reports, which give a comparison between the estimated timelines against actual timelines. The negligible variations in these comparisons prove high reliability and have been thoroughly appreciated by our customers.”
The Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route is not only a benefit for trade between India and Bangladesh but also extends the connection to landlocked Bhutan.
