CNI News
17 June 2023
Ships are needed to trade inside Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project area that has been built from Sittwe in Rakhine State to Mizoran Province in India, said officials of Rakhine State Inductrial Entrepreneurs Association, to CNI.
The Kaladan River all-round project is one inside whose area ships go and come back to trade and but due to the lack of ships, trade activities are still not possible
to perform, said U Tin Aung Oo, chairperson of Rakhine State Industrial Entrepreneurs Association, to CNI.
port bridge built opposie Paletwa
"For the India-Kaladan all-round project, opening ceremony has been held at Sittwe Port. But according to the current situation, trade has not been able to start because trade can start only when there are ships that go and come back as a regular service between Sittwe in Rakhine and Kolkata in India. The company that operated the port has said the port is ready. But for the time being it cannot operate. It's hard to say when the trade can start. It is important that we need to have shipping lines." he said.
Although there is no trade in the project area at present, over 2,500 tons of rice were exported to Bangladesh from Sittwe Port as the first batch, said U Tin Aung Oo.
Although Sittwe deep water port and Paletwa deep water port which consist of the project have been built already, because road and bridges to be built from Palatva to India have not been completely built, trade has not been able to operate, said U Khin Aung, from Paletwa Township Chamber of Commerce to CNI.
Kaladan river bridge (from Paletwa township to India) construction signboard
"We can't operate the trade in Paletwa.There is no India-Myanmar motorway. So ships can't go yet. There is a government-sponsored ship that leave on Saturday and come back on Sunday. That's all. The rest have no traffic.
The routes will also be good if it's politically stable. If it's politically stable, this road will have been built in a year or two. We hope we can count on this project very much becuase the goods will reach Paletwa only for the first time.Many people in Paletwa will get jobs. Lower class will be convenient to make a living. Guests will get here as well. But because it's not politically stable, you can't travel, you can't build road" he said.
India-Myanmar Kaladan all-round development project was started in 2011. Then, Sittwe Port was built and finished in 2017. It was open on 9th May 2023.
