A new maritime shipping route between Chittagong and China officially began operations on Monday with the arrival of a Chinese goods-carrying vessel at Chittagong Port. The first vessel, MV Kota Angun, carrying 552 containers from China’s Port of Ningbo-Zhushan, docked at the port's jetty-13 in the morning, confirmed Rajib Chowdhury, Assistant Terminal Manager (Control) of Chittagong Port Authority.

The service, called the China-Chittagong Express (CCE), is operated by a consortium of ships from various organizations. MV Kota Angun departed from the Ningbo-Zhushan port, one of the busiest in the world, on September 7 and reached Chittagong in just nine days, passing through Shanghai and Shekou.

Previously, vessels on this route took 20 to 25 days to reach Chittagong, as they transited through ports in Singapore, Malaysia, or Colombo.

Syed Mohammad Arif, President of the Shipping Agent Association, expressed optimism about the new route, noting that it would strengthen trade ties between Bangladesh and China. Bangladesh primarily imports machinery and raw materials for its garment and export sectors from China, while exports to China include jute yarn, leather, and processed hair.

Arif highlighted the significant volume of goods imported from China to Bangladesh, stating that this direct shipping route holds great potential for enhancing trade efficiency.

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