Today, Maersk announced the creation of a quick and trustworthy cross-border logistics solution between India and Bangladesh. The newly created route is now the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route; Maersk developed the route using inland waterways.
The first to take route on Maersk’s end-to-end integrated logistics solution occurred today, July 25, and transported 50 containers (TEUs or Twenty Feet Equivalent Units) from Kolkata, India, to a river port close to Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Both governments of the two nations have long supported commerce through the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route, and more recently, they have improved the customs processes to make conducting business more manageable. While, at the same time, opening up the previously landlocked Bhutan.
The new addition to the waterway system widens the scope of opportunity for its customers by allowing the use of not only faster but more reliable inland waterways solution that connects two countries that would’ve otherwise taken up more time, leading to higher costs.
Maersk also stated that the new route would give the company an upper hand in comparison to its competitors, noting that the route will come to great use during Monsoon season when rough waters cause an influx in delays.
Angshuman Mustafi, the head of Maersk in Bangladesh, supported this cross-border logistics solution by giving the facts: “Our solution to move cargo across the Indo-Bangladesh border has a saving of over 60% in terms of transit time. In addition to the faster mode of transport, we can give end-to-end visibility to our customers through Daily Status Reports, which compare the estimated timelines against actual timelines. The negligible variations in these comparisons prove high reliability and have been thoroughly appreciated by our customers.”
Shippers welcome the new addition warmly as the Ocean Network is experiencing capacity pressures. Alongside getting around the obstacle of Monsoon season, this solution also works with the hindrance at the maritime border between two countries.
This logistical solution seems to maintain strictly winners, with benefits that cast nets wide.
