Freight ship from Pakistan brought consumer goods, raw materials
The largest item on board was sodium carbonate, a raw material for industries
The cargo vessel from Pakistan's Karachi, which arrived at Chittagong Port on Monday marking the first-ever direct maritime link between the two countries, carried a load of industrial raw materials and consumer goods.
These products, weighing a total of 6,337 tonnes, were supplied by 18 export companies from Pakistan, said Chattogram Port Authority Secretary Md Omar Faruk.
He said the Panama-flagged Yuan Xiang Fa Zhan vessel had arrived at the port on 11 November from Dubai via Karachi and departed the next day.
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He added that importers were beginning the customs clearance process for the goods.
Prior to this service, container goods from Pakistan were routed through another nation before reaching Chattogram.
The arrival of the ship generated significant discussion on social media regarding the types of goods it brought, fueling interest in the new direct shipping service.
The ship transported 115 containers, according to port and customs data.
The largest item on board was sodium carbonate, a raw material used in various industries, including textiles.
Besides, the ship carried 46 containers of dolomite, 35 containers of limestone, and 6 containers of magnesium carbonate.
Broken glass, a raw material for the glass industry, was in 10 containers. Also, 28 containers brought materials for the export-oriented garment industry, including fabrics and dyes, along with one container of vehicle parts.
The items were imported by companies such as Akij Glass, Nasir Float Glass, Pacific Jeans, X Ceramics, and Square Pharmaceuticals.
According to Chattogram Port data, the ship unloaded 370 containers before departing, with 297 containers originating from Karachi and 73 from the UAE.
