Mizzima

The Indian consulate in Sittwe confirmed that the Sittwe port which was a part of Indo-Myanmar friendship projects would be opened on 9 May.

A vessel will leave Syama Prasad Mooker port in Kolkata, India on 4 May with India officials and other special guests will arrive in Sittwe by air on 9 May.

After opening this Sittwe port of the Kaladan Multi-modal Transit Transport (KMTT) project, vessels with tonnage of 5,000-6,000 tons will sail between the Sittwe and Kolkata ports.

This Kaladan project will facilitate direct trade between Kolkata in India and Sittwe port in Myanmar and then the goods can be transported to Paletwa town in Chin State, Myanmar by inland water vessels on the Kaladan River.

The governments of India and Myanmar signed a MoU for this KMTT project in 2008 and the construction of Sittwe port in this project was started in 2009.

The first vessel will carry 3,000 tons of cement from Kolkata port to Sittwe port in the inauguration of this new Sittwe port.

The Indian government spent US$120 million for this port project and they will have the 30-year right to operate this port.

The Myanmar government said that Myanmar would own this port officially only after 30 years’ use by the India government.