The route is likely to unlock tremendous economic potential for the entire Bay of Bengal peninsula, allowing a bridge between South Asia and Southeast Asia regions.
Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal is set to receive the first Indian cargo ship at Sittwe Port in Myanmar on May 9 (Tuesday). Addressing the media persons in Assam’s Dibrugarh, Sonowal said, “As we stand on this historic threshold, the landlocked northeastern part of India will finally have a much shorter access to the International Sea Route. We have been able to spearhead the speedy execution of the Sittwe port in Myanmar with an aim to boost the trade prospect of northeast India in the ensuing years.”
The event is likely to open regular transit of cargo ships between Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port in Kolkata in India to Sittwe Port in Rakhine state of Myanmar, heralding a new age of transportation between the two countries. The route is likely to unlock tremendous economic potential for the entire Bay of Bengal peninsula, allowing a bridge between South Asia and Southeast Asia regions.
“Apart from northeast India, this port will also unlock huge commercial potential for Bangladesh, Bhutan and even Nepal by acting as a bridge with Southeast Asia,” the Union Minister said.
Notably, Sittwe Port has been developed under a framework agreement between India and Myanmar for the construction and operation of a Multimodal Transit Transport Facility on Kaladan River connecting Sittwe port in Myanmar with Mizoram in India.
Goods from Kolkata to Sittwe Port can be shipped to Bangladesh’s Teknaf Port, which is just 60 nautical miles from Sittwe. From Teknaf Port, goods can then be transported by road to Sabroom in Tripura.
Sabroom has an integrated customs border between Bangladesh and Tripura. Sittwe port and Kaladan Project will immensely benefit Tripura by way of significant reduction in transportation time and logistics cost.
Once fully operational, the Kaladan Multi Modal Transport TP will provide alternate connectivity from the Eastern coast of India to the northeastern states through the Sittwe port.
This is a far more feasible route for trade and commerce in the northeastern part of India than the existing route via Siliguri to Kolkata, thus saving time, money and excelling efficiency.
With the opening of the new route via the Sittwe Port, transportation of goods to all the northeastern states will become much more cost-effective and time-saving.
In addition to easing of road traffic, the marine transport will considerably bring down the environmental cost of transport with a drop in fossil fuel carbon emission.
Exports from Myanmar’s Sittwe Port will mostly include rice, timber, fish and seafood, petroleum products, and garments and textiles, while the imports by Myanmar will include construction materials such as cement, steel and bricks, among others.
Source: abp live
