Call for greater box links between India and Bangladesh

Mumbai: Container Corporation of India Ltd (CONCOR) has proposed that the government start direct container movement by barge and railway on a trial basis to Bangladesh.
The Indian state-run agency said container carrying charges and lead-time will come down drastically once the direct water and rail links are established.

CONCOR wants to use Khanpur and Pangao river ports in Narayanganj to handle containers between Kolkata and Narayanganj by barge.

The company will bring containers through Delhi-Kolkata-Dhaka route by railway and handle at Kamalapur Inland Container Depot.

Currently, shippers fork out up to $3,000 per teu to move a teu from India to Bangladesh on a feeder vessel.

The cost will come down to $700-$1,200 once the routes are introduced, CONCOR reckons.

It takes a container around 30 days to reach from India to Chittagong Port, which will also go down to only 7-10 days, the body suggests.

Source: Sea Trade Asia