Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2018-07-03

Operating a Container Feeder Service between Port of Colombo and Port of Chittagong, Bangladesh

- A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between the Shipping Corporations of the two countries of Sri Lanka and Bangladesh with a view to strengthening bilateral relationship in the maritime sector. Due to the limitations in the port facilities and the depth of the Port of Chittagong which is the main port in Bangladesh, the vessels belonging to Main Line Operators (MLOs) do not call at the Port of Chittagong. Therefore, most of the export and import cargoes of Bangladesh are feedered via the Port of Singapore, Port of Colombo and Port of Malaysia on Common Carrier Container Feeder Vessels. The proposal made by Hon. Mahinda Samarasinghe, the Minister of Ports and Shipping, to select a suitable partner under a joint partnership and reap the benefits by deploying a vessel registered under the Sri Lanka flag since the priority has been given to Ceylon Shipping Corporation for Container Feeder Service in comparison with other countries in view of the aforesaid Agreement already entered in between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, was approved by the Cabinet.