Lighter vessels at Ctg port to follow BWTCC’s token serial from 4 Nov
The decision came at a meeting of three shipowners’ associations - Inland Vessel Owners’ Association of Chittagong, Bangladesh Cargo Vessel Owners Association, Coastal Vessel Owners’ Association - on Friday (1 November) at a hotel in the port city.
Lighter vessels from Chattogram port to all 34 naval routes in the country will operate in accordance with the serial token provided by the newly-formed regulator, Bangladesh Water Transport Co-ordination Cell (BWTCC), from 4 November.
The decision came following a tripartite agreement signed between three shipowners' associations on Friday at a hotel in the port city.
They are – the Inland Vessel Owners' Association of Chittagong, Bangladesh Cargo Vessel Owners' Association and Coastal Vessel Owners' Association.
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Also on the day, comprising nine members from the three associations, a committee was formed regarding the functioning of the regulator, the BWTCC.
Spokesperson of the Inland Vessel Owners' Association of Chittagong, Parvez Ahmed told The Business Standard that a decision has been made to operate lighter vessels under a serial system from 11am on 4 November.
He said decisions on vessel fares and other relevant matters will be finalised within the next two days.
The tripartite agreement was signed by Bangladesh Cargo Vessel Owners' Association President Sayeed Ahmed, General Secretary Engr Mehebub Kabir, Coastal Vessel Owners Association Chairman Engr Mehebub Kabir, General Secretary Khurshid Alam, and Inland Vessel Owners' Association President Shafiq Ahmed, and Acting General Secretary Azizur Rahman.
The nine-member committee with Cargo Vessel Owners Association President Sayeed Ahmed as convener will oversee the overall activities of the BWTCC until June 2025.
Leaders of the associations said fares for vessels will be determined by taking into account the current state of vessel owners and the costs associated with imports.
Earlier, until 2023, lighter vessels from Chattogram port to other naval routes operated in compliance with the serial numbers issued from the Water Transport Cell (WTC). The cell used to control around 1,300 vessels.
This year, the BWTCC has been formed in light of a new policy issued by the Ministry of Shipping on 15 October, titled "Goods Transport Policy at Bangladesh Seaport 2024", which enforces compliance with the serials distributed by the BWTCC.
