Sittwe port of Myanmar to be operational in 6 months: IWAI

The Sittwe port in Myanmar will be operational during the next six months as tendering to appoint a private operator will be floated by December-end or January, a top Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) official said Friday.

India has developed the port as part of bilateral development programs for the neighbour with an overall commitment of USD 1.75 billion.

The Sittwe port under the Kaladan Multi Modal Transit Transport Project will connect India's landlocked northeastern region to the Bay of Bengal through Mizoram. It will also provide an alternate route to Kolkata.

"Tendering for Sittwe port will be floated in December or latest by January. The port will be operational within next six months," IWAI vice-chairman Pravir Pandey said on the sidelines of The Bengal Chamber organised annual shipping conclave.

India and Myanmar in October inked an MoU for the appointment of a private operator of the Sittwe port that promises to boost connectivity.

The project will also boost riverine transport that have already crossed 6 million tonnes of cargo on the Ganga during April to October and this is expected to touch 8 million tonnes by end of this fiscal, an official said.

Developing the port is believed to be a major step in the implementation of India's Act East Policy.