The new shipping route directly linking Karachi and Chattogram has opened new horizons for Bangladesh's foreign trade, Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) Chairman Rear Admiral SM Moniruzzaman said yesterday.

He was addressing a press conference organised at the Shaheed Munshi Fazlur Rahman Auditorium.

Mentioning how the two countries previously used transshipment ports in Colombo and Singapore, Moniruzzaman said the direct route would save both time and money.

Container vessel MV Yang Xiang Fa Zhan, carrying 328 import containers comprising 264 from Karachi and 64 from Dubai's Jebel Ali port, arrived at Chattogram port on November 11.

The vessel left for Indonesia the following day.

It was the first direct vessel from Karachi to Chattogram that also connected the UAE, Indonesia, Malaysia and India.

"The vessel arrived underload due to less demand of imports. However, the shipping liner will continue to operate it if adequate import containers are available," Moniruzzaman added.

He also said that the port saw 10.22 percent year-on-year growth in container handling in the last three months since he joined office.

CPA board members and senior port officials attended the briefing.