A foreign cargo ship carrying 1,280 reconditioned cars from Japan reached Mongla Port directly for the first time Sunday morning.
The Malaysian flag carrier, MV Malaysia Star, arrived at jetty 6 at 7:30am.
“The cargo ship carrying 1,280 reconditioned cars from Japan reached the port directly on Sunday. Earlier, ships that could hold only 500-700 cars, would come to Mongla Port after offloading some cars at Chattogram Port first,” said Mongla Port Authority’s Harbour Master, Commander Sheikh Fakhar Uddin.
Now importers are bringing cars directly through Mongla Port as the cost and distance have come down due to the Padma Bridge.
General Manager Md Wahiduzzaman of Ancient Steam Ship, Khulna, the local shipping agent for the MV Malaysia Star, said this type of huge ship has come to Mongla Port with imported cars for the first time since the inauguration of the Padma Bridge.
He also said the cars would be unloaded from that ship within by Sunday.
“Industrialists, and importers and exporters, are now showing more interest in Mongla Port as the distance from Dhaka by road has reduced due to the Padma Bridge. Recently Mongla Port has set a record in importing reconditioned cars, beating Chattogram Port,” Mongla Port Authority, Chairman Rear Admiral Mohammad Musa, told The Business Standard. Now foreign ships are directly coming to the port with imported cars, he said, adding that cars can now be unloaded in less time and reach Dhaka across the Padma Bridge quickly.
