
Maersk creates a fast and reliable India-Bangladesh cross-border logistics solution using inland waterways
Source: Maersk Maersk successfully completed the first India-Bangladesh cross-border logistics of containerised 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.” said Vikash Agarwal, Managing Director, Maersk South Asia. The cargo movement on inland waterways or rivers is much more reliable, especially in monsoons, when the turbulent weather can cause delays while transporting goods over the ocean. Moreover, with the ocean network running under capacity pressure, the alternative inland waterways route that is quicker and more reliable has received a warm welcome from shippers. This solution also addresses the bottleneck