The operation of lighter ships has been officially inaugurated under the banner of Chittagong-based ship owners organization. On Tuesday evening, in the auditorium of Agrabad Hotel in Chittagong, the program of river transport of goods from Chittagong to various destinations of the country was inaugurated. For this a formal authorization is issued for the carriage of goods in a lighter vessel. The vessel allotted on the first day is MV JAF Container-1 owned by Bismillah Marine Navigation. The ship was supposed to be carrying 700 tons of soybean seeds from a large ship from abroad to Kanchpur destination outside the port.
For two decades, 'Water Transport Cell' or WTC has been operating lighter ships from Chittagong to various destinations across the country. Inland Vessel Owners Association of Chittagong or IVOAC, Chittagong-based ship owners' organization left this organization due to disagreements over the management of the organization. Again they started ship management activities.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud was the chief guest on the occasion. He said in his speech that transportation of goods by river is cost-effective and environment-friendly. It needs to be increased. It also keeps the river navigable.
Shafiq Ahmed, president of Inland Vessel Owner's Association of Chittagong (IVOAC), presided over the event. Dhaka-7 Constituency Member of Parliament Md Salim, City Awami League (AL) General Secretary and former Mayor AJM Nasir Uddin were present at the event. Belayet Hossain, President of Water Transport Cargo Agents Association, Amal Chandra Das, General Secretary, IVOAC Acting General Secretary Md Azizur Rahman also spoke.
Basically, goods are transported by inland waterways by smaller vessels or lighter vessels. Goods imported from abroad are first transferred from large ships to lighter ships through Chittagong port. Then it is taken to various destinations across the country using the river route. Until now, goods were transported from the port to various destinations across the country by lighter ships mainly under the management of WTC and the industrial owners' own ships. Now, under the leadership of IVOAC, the cargo transportation activities have officially started.
ARS
