Shantanu Thakur flags off 1st shipment from Kolkata Port to Sittwe Port

New Delhi: Minister of State for Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Shantanu Thakur on Thursday flagged off MV-ITT LION (V-273) from Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata as the inaugural shipment to operationalise the Sittwe Port in Rakhine State of Myanmar, said the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW).

Port has been developed under Kaladan Multimodal Project

As per the statement, the port has been developed under Kaladan Multimodal Project with grant assistance from the central government. This will enhance connectivity between the eastern and North-Eastern states of India and facilitate trade between India and Myanmar.

IWAI acted as Project Development Consultant

"The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), as a Project Development Consultant for the implementation of Port and IWT components of the work, has successfully completed the work," the statement added. Further, it said, "MV-ITT LION (V-273) carrying 20,000 bags containing 1,000 metric tonnes of cement will reach Sittwe Port on May 9."

Connectivity

"The port connects to Paletwa in Myanmar through an inland waterway and from Paletwa to Zorinpui in Mizoram through a road component. Once fully operationalised, KMTTP will provide alternate connectivity from the Eastern coast of India to the North-eastern states through the Sittwe port," it added.

During the flagging off ceremony, Tin Moe Consul General, Consulate General of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar in Kolkata, Sanjay Bandhopadhayay, Chairman, Inland Waterways Authority of India, PL Haranadh, Chairman Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata, Smita Pant, Joint Secretary (BM) Ministry of External Affairs, Satish Sivan Joint Secretary (DPA-III) Ministry of External Affairs, Samrat Rahi Dy. Chairman (K), Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata, AK Mishra Dy. Chairman(H), Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata and other dignitaries were also present.

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