Maersk creates a fast and reliable India-Bangladesh cross-border logistics solution
The first movement on Maersk’s end-to-end integrated logistics solution on the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route involved the transportation of containerized cargo from Kolkata, India, to a river port near Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Maersk successfully completed the first India-Bangladesh cross-border logistics of containerized 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 Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route has created great trade opportunities for the two countries over the last decades. By advancing into containerised transport on this route, we are expanding the opportunities for importers and exporters from the two countries with a faster, more reliable and safer option for their cargo.
The maiden barge voyage has been successfully executed where there has been a significant reduction of transit time.
The delivery schedule of the cargo, which used to be routed through the transhipment hub and then arrive in Chittagong and further to the destination, used to be impacted severely with delays.
The speed of delivery with the new solution offered by Maersk over inland waterways is going to be extremely beneficial for us.
Our solution to move cargo across the Indo-Bangladesh border has a saving of over 60% in terms of transit time. In addition to the faster mode of transport, we are able to give end-to-end visibility to our customers through Daily Status Reports, which give a comparison between the estimated timelines against actual timelines.
The negligible variations in these comparisons prove high reliability and have been thoroughly appreciated by our customers.
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, and warehousing and distribution, supply chain management, etc.
About A.P. Moller – Maersk
A.P. Moller – Maersk is an integrated container logistics company working to connect and simplify its customers’ supply chains. As the global leader in shipping services, the company operates in 130 countries and employs over 100,000 people.
