Dhaka: A high-profile 12-member delegation from the Port Authority of Thailand arrived here on Monday afternoon on a three-day visit to assess the feasibility of direct coastal shipping between Chittagong Seaport and Ranong Port of Thailand.  

The Thai delegation will hold official talks with the officials of the Ministry of Shipping on Tuesday to discuss a proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish direct coastal shipping links between Chittagong and Ranong.  

Bangladesh Embassy in Thailand termed the initiative a ‘groundbreaking connectivity initiative’ between the two countries.  

‘It’ll (coastal shipping link) be a groundbreaking agreement if signed finally,’ Bangladesh Ambassador in Bangkok Saida Muna Tasneem told United News of Bangladesh on Monday describing the benefits of such a deal.  

The Ambassador said she has been ‘relentlessly’ pushing for having a direct shipping link between the two countries.  

Appreciating the initiative, Secretary (Maritime Affairs Unit) Rear Admiral (retd) Khurshed Alam told UNB that this would be a ‘good thing’ if Bangladesh can have a direct shipping link with the Thai port.  

The visiting delegation will have a meeting with him on Tuesday afternoon.  

Direct coastal shipping links between Bangladesh and Thailand, according to experts, is expected to lower the trading and shipping costs of goods and services between the two countries, save time of cargo shipping, create a new connectivity, trade and transportation route with Thailand, and contribute to enhancing bilateral trade and investment.  

This would be the first official discussion on direct coastal shipping connectivity between Bangladesh and any Asean country, a proposal that was put forward by Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque to Thailand’s former Foreign Secretary Norachit Sinhaseni during the latter’s visit to Bangladesh in June 2015 for the first Foreign Ministry Consultations between the two countries.  

Shipping Secretary Ashoke Madhab Roy is expected to lead the Bangladesh delegation, which includes Bangladesh Ambassador to Thailand Saida Muna Tasneem, senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Shipping, Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority, Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority, port authorities of Chittagong and Mongla.  

The Thai delegation will be led by POL Lt Gen Prajak Sriwatthana of the Port Authority of Thailand, according to the Bangladesh Embassy.

Other senior officials of the Port Authority of Thailand and Thai Customs, Governor of Ranong Province of South West Thailand including Suriyan Kanjanasilp, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce of the Ranong Province, Sudaporn Yodpinij, President of Ranong Federation of Industries, Maethus Rangsiyanan and Mingpant Chayavichitsilp, President of Thailand-Bangladesh Business Council are there in the delegation.  

Ranong Province hosts the nearest regional port of Thailand in the Andaman Sea coast from Chittagong Port and is earmarked for seafaring trade with all Bimstec countries.

The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec) is an international organisation involving a group of countries in South Asia and South East Asia.

These are Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal.

Private sector members of the Shipping Industries, including shipping liners, freight forwarders, importers and exporters are also expected to attend the meeting.  

The delegation is also scheduled to visit Chittagong on Wednesday to hold discussion with the Port Authority of Chittagong and visit Chittagong Export Processing Zone.  

The delegation of the Port Authority of Thailand is also expected to hold talks with Bangladesh-Thailand Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry to understand the business and commercial feasibility of the direct coastal shipping.  

The Thai Port Authority delegation is scheduled to leave on 11 February.