Consequent to China granting duty-free access to 97 per cent Bangladeshi products to its market (from 1 July) which is expected give a boost to exports from Bangladesh to the former, a new container shipping service is being launched between Bangladesh (Chittagong) and China.
The service – Bay Bengal Express 2 (BBX 2) — jointly being launched by Hong Kong-based Shandong International Transportation Corporation (SITC) and CNC Line, a concern of France-based shipping and logistics provider CMA CGM, will now directly link Bangladesh with Vietnam on the sea route.
As per reports that cited Chairman of FAMFA Solution (local agent of SITC), Shaokatul Islam, the shipping service is being launched to cater to the increasing trade between China and Bangladesh, who went on to add that the service will connect ports in China, Bangladesh Malaysia, Vietnam and Singapore consequent to which shipments onboard BBX 2 would also gain access to the global network of the CMA CGM from the transhipment hub.
Now Vietnam would become a handy port of call for Bangladesh and would help cut transit time for exports heading to US West Coast by 4 to 5 days, which now reportedly takes around a month as cargoes are routed through Singapore in the absence of any direct feeder service between Chittagong and Vietnam.
Further, as per Shaokatul, five feeder vessels would be also deployed now as well for the new service.
