A total of 54 container vessels are slated to call in at Yangon’s international ports in August, according to the Myanma Port Authority.
In August, 10 container vessels run by Sealand Maersk Asia, eight by Samudera Shipping Line, six by RCL Line, five each by MSC Line and SITC Line, four by New Golden Sea (COSCO), three by IAL Line, ONE Line and PIL Line, two by Evergreen Line and one by Bay Line, BLPL Line, CMA CGM Line and Land & Sea Line, and Ti2 Container Line are slated to dock at the Yangon Port.
This year, 52 container vessels each in January and February, 55 in March, 50 in April, 56 in May, 57 in June and 53 in July arrived at Yangon Port.
Yangon Port handled a total of 620 container vessels last year. Thanks to the draft extension, the international ocean liners can access the inner port for now, according to the Myanma Port Authority’s statement on 22 June.
After the new navigation channel (Kings Bank Channel) accessing the inner Yangon River was found, the draft extension work was accelerated. After that, the port can now handle larger ships. The container vessel (185.99-metre LOA, 35.25 m Beam, 29.32 GRT and 2,698 TEU) Hong-Kong-based SITC Shipping Line docked at Asia World Port Terminal for the first time on 22 June. That vessel is the largest one that AWPT Port handled.
From May 2021, the arrival of ships at terminals in Yangon has increased again. To fulfil the seaborne trade requirements, three new container vessels by Maersk Line Myanmar (Sea Land Maersk) started to run in 2021.
Earlier, the larger ships had draft problems preventing their sailing on the Yangon River. The draft was extended up to 10 metres, the larger ocean liners can enter the Thilawa Port.
The coast of Myanmar is 2,228 kilometres (1,260 nautical Kilometres) including 713 kilometres long Rakhine coastal area, 437 kilometres long delta region and 1,078 kilometres long Taninthayi coastline, stretching from northern Bangladesh’s border to southern Thailand’s border area. There are 10 seaports along the coastline, including Yangon Port, Thilawa Deep-sea Port, Kyaukpyu Deep-sea Port, Sittway Port, Thandwe Port, Pathein Port, Mawlamyine Port, Dawei Deep-sea Port, Myeik Port and Kawthoung Port.
Seaborne trade accounts for 75 per cent of foreign trade. However, Yangon Port including Thilawa terminals is the only international port and the remaining ports in eight cities are designated for the domestic way only. — NN/EM
