Bangladesh, Thailand Plans Direct Coastal Shipping
By Aiswarya Lakshmi
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Bangladesh and Thailand are planning to launch direct coastal shipping, connecting the Chittagong Port in the Bay of Bengal with the Ranong Port in the East of the Andaman coast in south-western Thailand.
Bangladesh Ambassador to Thailand Saida Muna Tasneem said: “Both Bangladesh and Thailand are planning to start direct coastal ships. We will have to study the possibility of establishing the direct communication and if we get a positive result, then we will sign a Memorandum of Understanding.”
The coastal communication between Bangladesh and Thailand will take place with the help of Chittagong and Ranong ports.
Goods shipped between the two countries currently pass through Singapore and take two weeks, a time period that should be cut to six days with direct shipping, according to a Thai transport official.
"The annual trade volume of Bangladesh and Thailand will be increased four times to $4.8 billion by next five years if both countries can establish direct coastal shipping links by the end of the year," said Rashed Maksud Khan, president of the Bangladesh-Thai chamber of commerce and industries.