A new container feeder service between Chittagong and Colombo may set sail by April, officials said, as spadework for the shipping operations is underway.
Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC) and Ceylon Shipping Corporation (CSC) will charter one feeder vessel each to begin the service on the Chittagong-Yangon-Colombo route.
The waterway connectivity will be expanded later based on trade demand, they added.
Each of the vessels will have the capacity between 1,000 and 1500 TEUs (twenty feet equivalent unit), with 185-metre length and 8.5-metre draft.
The BSC authority is already in preliminary talks with a Singapore-based vessel charterer to hire the container vessel, BSC managing director Commodore Yahya Syed told the FE Sunday.
"We are hopeful to complete the chartering of a container vessel by February and start feeder service by April," he said.
Once started, the feeder service may be extended to Hambantota, Mongla and other nearest ports.
Bangladesh and Sri Lanka signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on extending cooperation between the two countries in sea trade during Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena's Dhaka visit last July.
A BSC delegation led by Mr Syed visited Colombo in November for discussion on the launch of the feeder shipping service and facilities to be offered by one party to another based on the MoU.
During the visit, the Colombo port authority offered priority berthing facility for the proposed feeder service, 10 per cent transhipment rebate for Bangladesh containers, 2.0 per cent rebate on stevedoring for over 1000 moves per-vessel call, and 21 days' free storage for transhipments.
The Sri Lankan side, on the other hand, requested providing an equal treatment to CSC's vessels what usually BSC vessels enjoy at Chittagong port.
The BSC now has sought ministry of shipping's intervention for offering the similar treatment to CSC vessels in Chittagong to facilitate the start of the feeder-container service.
According to officials BSC once ran container-feeder service on the Chittagong-Singapore route during the eighties with three vessels of 1000-1200 TEUs. The service was closed later as the vessels became old enough to take rest.
Presently, several shipping companies, including Maersk Line, Pacific International Lines (PIL), 'K' Line, Yang Ming Line, Samudera Shipping Line, the Sea Consortium, Far Shipping, and Bukit Barisan line, run feeder services to Chittagong port from various major ports as mother vessels cannot reach Bangladesh waters due to low draft.
Established in 1972, the BSC is entrusted with the responsibility of carrying bulk cargos, food-grains and crude oils, chartering, feeder services, unloading, providing agency service, and ship repairing.
The BSC carries majority portion of fuel oils Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) imports annually into the country.
syful-islam@outlook.com