Maersk, the world leader in Logistics went on to create a new phase in logistics in Asia with a fast and reliable India-Bangladesh cross-border logistics solution using inland waterways.
Mumbai, 25 July 2022: Maersk 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 containers (TEUs or Twenty Feet Equivalent Units) from Kolkata in India to a river port near Dhaka in Bangladesh on a barge on the National Waterways 1 on the India side, Maersk has created a new opportunity for customers to use the faster, more reliable inland waterways solution that connects the two countries.
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. Moreover, with the ocean network running under capacity pressure, the alternative inland waterways are quicker and more reliable route has received a warm welcome from shippers. This solution also addresses the bottleneck at the land border between the two countries.
The Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route is not only a benefit for trade between India and Bangladesh but also extends the connection to landlocked Bhutan. With the option of providing an end-to-end integrated logistics solution, Maersk’s customers can move their cargo from origin to destination using first-mile and last-mile services, including landside transportation by road or rail, customs clearance, warehousing and distribution, supply chain management etc.
The cross-border waterways are witnessing major dredging activities to deepen channels so that inland vessels, mostly classified as RIVER SEA VESSELS in CLASS IV by the Indian Register of Shipping which allows vessels to undertake both coastal shipping and the river route are allowed to ply the waters between the two countries. This waterway will be highly beneficial to the landlocked North Eastern States of India which are otherwise connected to the rest of India through mountainous, treacherous roads which take many hours to reach the destination. The waterways allow the stakeholders to save on fuel, and time and can move more loads through the water efficiently than a truck does on the road.
