India operationalizes Sittwe port in Myanmar
1 min read . Updated: 04 May 2023, 05:30 PM IST
PremiumThe objective of the project is to provide alternative connectivity to the North East region from Kolkata Port through Sittwe Port up to Paletwa in Myanmar by waterway and Paletwa to Zorinpui by road in Mizoram
New Delhi: India has operationalized the Sittwe Port in Myanmar with the departure of the inaugural shipment, the MV-ITT LION (V-273), from Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port in Kolkata on Thursday. The initiative is part of the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport project.
The shipment, carrying 20,000 bags containing 1,000 metric tonne of cement, is expected to reach Sittwe Port on 9 May.
The port, built under a grant assistance from the Indian government, has been developed under a framework agreement between India and Myanmar for the construction and operation of a multimodal transit transport facility on Kaladan river.
“The port will open up new opportunities for trade and transit from and to Myanmar, particularly the Rakhine state and further enhance trade and commerce between the two countries and the wider region," the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways said in a statement.
Once fully operationalised, KMTTP will provide alternate connectivity from the eastern coast of India to the northeastern states through the Sittwe port. The port connects to Paletwa in Myanmar through an inland waterway and from Paletwa to Zorinpui in Mizoram through a road component.
The Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Shantanu Thakur, flagged off the MV-ITT LION (V-273) in a ceremony held in Kolkata.
The port is expected to boost trade and commerce between the two countries and the wider region.