Direct China-Ctg shipping kicks off 31 Aug, to halve transit time

Infographic: TBS

Pacific International Lines (PIL), a leading Singaporean shipping company, is set to launch a direct shipping service between China and Chattogram Port under the China Chittagong Express (CCE) service. The service will reduce transit time by around 50% compared to existing services.

Under the new service, which begins on 31 August, one vessel will be operated per week.

The weekly direct shipping service will kick off on 31 August. The container ship will depart from China's Ningbo Port, stopping over at Shanghai and Shekou ports before reaching Chattogram. On the return trip, the ship will sail directly back to Ningbo. 

PIL, one the largest container shipping lines in the world, already operates two services on the Chattogram-China route, BD1 and BD2, which currently transport goods via the transshipment port in Singapore.

According to PIL, the CCE service will take 9 to 14 days to transport goods directly from China to Chattogram, a substantial improvement over the 20 to 22 days it currently takes via Singapore or Colombo. This new service is expected to benefit Bangladesh's garment industry, which relies heavily on imports from China for raw materials.

Surendran Mathilagath, general manager of Intra-Asia Services at PIL, in a press statement, said, "We are pleased to expand our services to Chittagong, Bangladesh, with a direct express route from ports in China. The introduction of CCE supports the growing trade between the two countries and optimizes the transportation of goods in a cost-efficient and reliable manner."

An unnamed official from a mainline operator associated with the direct shipping from China to Chattogram told TBS that PIL's new service would take at least 50% less time to reach Chattogram compared to existing routes, which could take longer due to congestion at transshipment ports.

Syed Mohammad Arif, chairman of the Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association, welcomed the launch of direct shipping services, noting that traders have long demanded such services to import raw materials, machinery, and other products from China. He added that increased competition among shipping companies could also lead to lower freight costs.

In Bangladesh, approximately 70% of the raw materials for the readymade garment industry are imported from China. Currently, these materials are transported via transshipment ports, such as Tanjung Pelepas, Singapore, and Colombo, leading to longer transit times. The introduction of the CCE service is expected to streamline the process, providing a faster delivery of goods and benefiting the country's garment sector.

Mohammed Shamsul Azam, director of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association, emphasised the importance of reduced lead times in the competitive international market. 

He noted that if PIL's new service proves successful, it will provide significant advantages for Bangladeshi garment traders.

Shipping officials said approximately 90 container ships currently operate between Chattogram and various transshipment ports, including Singapore and Colombo, before reaching China. Other shipping lines, such as Maersk, MSC, CNC, SITC, Hyundai, and PIL, offer services through these ports.

In July, AP Moller-Maersk, a Danish shipping and logistics giant, also launched a new ocean shipping service between China and Bangladesh, which reduced transit time by about three days. This move underscores the growing demand for more efficient shipping routes between the two countries.