The first vessel of 8.5-metre draft anchored today at the jetty of Mongla port, the second biggest port of the country.

The vessel named "MV Maersk Nusantara" anchored at jetty number 9 of the port, said Captain Md Asaduzzaman, a member of Mongla Port Authority.

The Singapore-flagged vessel carried 7,357 tonnes or 489 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of goods which are expected to be unloaded at the port.

The vessel is also set to be loaded with 367 TEUs of goods at the time of its return.

The anchoring of the vessel opened a new chapter for the port, Asaduzzaman said.

The capacity of the port has been increased several times and the Padma Bridge has played a vital role in transforming Mongla into a world-class port, he said.

Before this, container ships of 8-metre draft also reached the port's jetty on September 12 of 2022 and March 27 of this year.