Approximately 27,000 tonnes of rice will be transported by the bulk carrier MV SDR Universe, currently being loaded at Kakinada Port in Andhra Pradesh, India.
Mohammad Ali Akbar, chief executive officer of Seven Sea’s Shipping Lines, the shipping agent for the rice transport, confirmed the vessel’s expected arrival and expressed confidence in its timely delivery.
The first shipment, which included 24,690 tonnes of parboiled rice from India, was successfully unloaded at Chattogram Port from 26 December to 3 January.
The rice has since been transported to various locations across the country, including Dewanhat in Chattogram, Tejgaon in Dhaka, Narayanganj and Sylhet. The vessel carrying the first shipment has already departed from Chattogram Port.
105,000 tonnes rice to arrive from Myanmar Mid-January
Separately, the first shipment of Atap rice from Myanmar, part of a government-to-government (G2G) agreement, is expected to arrive at Chattogram Port on 14 or 15 January.
The vessel Golden Star will deliver 22,000 tonnes of rice, marking the initial shipment of a 105,000-tonne consignment.
A total of 10 vessels will transport the rice from Myanmar to Chattogram Port, with shipments planned to be completed by mid-March.
Seven Sea’s Shipping Lines, the shipping agent for the Myanmar rice transport, confirmed the schedule and ongoing preparations for timely deliveries.
According to Gnana Priya Bidurshi Chakma, controller of Movement and Storage at the Directorate General of Food, the government is procuring 200,000 tonnes of rice through an open tender agreement.
The first shipment under this arrangement was delivered from India on 11 November last year.