Songa Cheetah, a ship that will transport goods to Italy’s Porto di Ravenna on the first direct commercial freight trip from Bangladesh to Europe, has arrived at Chattogram port.
The ship carrying the Liberian flag docked at the port’s New Mooring Container Terminal-4 around 1 pm on Saturday, Chattogram Port Authority Secretary Rear Admiral Omar Faruk said.
The ship is expected to leave for Europe today (Monday) with the containers, mostly of Bangladeshi garments.
Currently, Bangladeshi businesses send their products to Europe from Chattogram via ports in other regions on the way. The exporters need to wait for a long time to book ships from those ports which increases the time and cost of shipping.
It takes Bangladesh around a month and $16,000 per 40 feet goods to send products to Europe now.
The direct service will save around 50 percent of the time and up to Tk $6,000 per 40 feet goods, according to businesses.
With faster and cheaper delivery, more European buyers are expected to be interested in ordering readymade garments from Bangladesh. Countries in other regions, such as the US, may also be keen to opt for direct shipping from Bangladesh.
Rif Line, an Italian logistics company and it’s associate Kalypso Compagnia di Navigazione SPA Italy, initiated the trip after several European buyers expressed eagerness in direct Bangladesh-Italy shipping.
Another ship, Cape Flores, arrived in Bangladesh directly from Italy with empty containers on a trial run in December. Songa Cheetah and Cape Flores will continue freight operation on the route from now on.
Mohammad Rashed, chairman of the initiative’s local agent Reliance Shipping and Logistics Limited, said Songa Cheetah is expected to carry 983 TEU (twenty feet equivalent unit) containers, 98 percent of which will be used for garment exports to Italy and some other European countries.
